Tiffany's Temptations

Beef and Paprika Ragout

2010-06-19T17:54:00.001-04:00

I grew up hating beef stew. Probably because it was always made with a tough cut of meat and vegetables that I didn't like. I was hesitant to try a recipe for stew. But I was pleasantly surprised when I made this recipe for Beef and Paprika Ragout. It was excellent and nothing like the stews of my past!

Beef and Paprika Ragout

from Elly Says Opa

1 lb. beef chuck, cubed (or stew meat)
1/3 cup flour
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2-3 celery ribs, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2/3 cup dry red wine
1 cup beef broth
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
1/2 lb. mushrooms, halved or quartered
salt and pepper
Egg noodles, for serving
Season the beef with salt and pepper, and then dredge in the flour (or put the flour in a bowl or bag and shake it like a polaroid picture).

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven and when hot, add the beef. Brown the beef on all sides and then remove from the pot with a slotted spoon. Add the onions to the pot and cook until tender. Stir in the carrots, celery, and garlic, cooking for an additional minute or so. Add the tomato paste, and cook another minute or so.

Stir the wine into the pot and increase the temperature slightly. Scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as you deglaze, and cook off the alcohol until about 1/4 cup remains. Add the beef broth, smoked paprika, bay leaf, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then add the beef back in. Cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for an hour or two. Really, as long as you want/have. The beef will just keep getting more and more tender. Add the mushrooms and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Season to taste if necessary and serve over egg noodles.

Winner of the Giant Giftcard

2010-04-21T22:45:00.005-04:00

Well, at least I know that two people are still reading my blog :) I received two entries for the Giant giftcard giveaway. So Toby of Toby's Treats, you are lucky number 1 and winner of the Giant gift card! Send me an email at ryanandtiffany@gmail.com with your address and I will send MyBlogSpark your info for the prize.

**edited to add, unfortunately I can't seem to figure out how to copy & paste the random number generator jpeg into my blog, so you'll just have to trust me that #1 was the winner.

Celebrate Earth Month & Win a $20 Giant Gift Card

2010-04-18T09:47:00.004-04:00

April is Earth Month and to celebrate Giant (Stop & Shop) is giving away a hybrid car. The generous folks at MyBlogSpark have also provided one of my readers with the chance to win a $20 Giant gift card. Which you can then use to purchase General Mills products and have the chance to win a 2010 eco-friendly Hybrid car!

All you have to do to enter to win the $20 gift card is post a comment telling me how you make your life a bit more green. I will choose a random winner on Wednesday, April 21 at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Here's how you can also win an eco-friendly car:

From April 16-29, buy 5 participating General Mills items with your Giant card, use a re-useable shopping bag and you’ll be automatically entered to win. There are two different sets of participating General Mills items for each week of the promotion. Please see below for the participating brands.

You can also enter without making a purchase by completing an official entry form at your local Stop & Shop store.

This promotion is open to residents of MA, RI, CT, NH, NJ, NY, MD, DE, VA or DC and individuals at least 18 years old. For details about the sweepstakes, see in-store for complete rules.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-18T00:21:00.005-04:00

Yes, I am one of those people. You know....the ones who like to dress their pets in crazy outfits every chance they get. And belive me, with two kitties, it's not very often.

No Bake Cookies

2009-10-01T20:41:00.005-04:00

One of the easiest things to make is no bake cookies. They are a tasty treat that doesn't last very long in our house. There are tons of recipes online for these but I decided to use a recipe from the Ezra Pound Cake blog.
No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Submitted by Jenny White to Recipezaar.com

•1/2 cup butter
•2 cups sugar
•1/2 cup milk
•4 tablespoons cocoa
•1/2 cup peanut butter
•3 to 3 1/2 cups dry quick-cooking oats
•2 teaspoons vanilla
Add the first four ingredi ents into a 4-quart saucepan.

Bring to a rolling boil and hold for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in the next 3 ingredients and drop by tablespoons onto wax paper. Let cool until set.

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

2009-08-23T19:31:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite things to order in a Thai restaurant is Pineapple Fried Rice. I have been looking for a recipe to try creating it at home. I came across this recipe on the blog Closet Cooking, written by Kevin in Toronto. Not only does he have some great recipes, but his photography is excellent as well. This was a great recipe - not as good as what you get in an authentic Thai restaurant - but still mighty good! I loved the addition of raisins and pineapple combined with the curry seasoning.

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
(makes 4 servings)

1 tablespoon oil
2 shallots (sliced) -- I used 1 regular onion
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 red chili (chopped)
1 red pepper (diced)
1 egg (lightly beaten)
3 tablespoons chicken stock (or vegetable broth) --I omitted
3 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce) -- I used soy sauce
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup cashews (roasted)
3 cups cooked rice (preferably a day old)
1 cup pineapple (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 cup shrimp (cooked, optional)
1/4 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup currants (or raisins)
2 green onions (sliced)
1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)

1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the shallots, garlic, chillies and red pepper and stir-fry until fragrant, about a minute.
3. Add the egg and stir-fry for a minute.
4. Add the chicken stock, fish sauce, curry powder and sugar and stir-fry.
5. Add the cashews and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
6. Add the rice, break up any clumps and stir-fry for a few minutes.
7. Add the pineapple, shrimp, peas and raisins and stir-fry to mix them in.
8. Remove from heat and serve garnished with chopped green onions and cilantro.

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

2009-08-22T19:45:00.007-04:00

I found the recipe on a cool blog in my google reader called The Cookbook Junkie. I like reading The Cookbook Junkie because there are always recipes from cookbooks that I don't have that sound good. This was a very delicious recipe and despite the lengthy directions, it didn't take very long at all. It tasted like a combo of oatmeal cookies and brownies. Very rich!

Oatmeal Fudge Bars
The America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

Crust and topping
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 tablespooons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons instant espresso or instant coffee (I omited)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
1 large egg

For the crust and topping: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with a foil sling: Fold two sheets of aluminum foil so they are as wide as the pan. Lay the sheets in the pan, perpendicular to each other, with the extra foil hanging over the edges. Push the foil into the corners, smoothing wrinkles. Grease the sides and bottom.

Whisk the oats, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter until combined. Reserve 3/4 cup of the oat mixture for the topping.

Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture into the prepared pan and press into an even layer with the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake the crust until light-golden brown, about 8 minutes. Let the crust cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.

For the filling: Whisk the flour, sugar, instant espresso and salt together in a medium bowl. Melt the chocolate chips and butter together in the microwave, stirring often, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large bowl and let cool slightly. Whisk in the egg until combined. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the filling evenly over the cooled crust and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the reserved oat topping. Bake the bars until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached and the filling begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking.

Let the bars cool completely in the pan, set on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Remove the bars from the pan using the foil, cut into squares and serve.

Easy Corn Bread

2009-08-22T18:34:00.005-04:00

We were in the mood for chili so along with chili comes cornbread. I am not sure why, but I decided to stray from my normal recipe, Grandma's Corn Bread, from Allrecipes.com and try the recipe on the container of corn meal. All I had on hand was Quaker yellow corn meal, which is probably not very authentic or southern. I still like my favorite recipe better - probably because I like my corn bread sweet.

Easy Corn Bread

from Quaker

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup corn meal
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt (optional)
1 cup skim milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 egg whites or 1 egg, beaten

Heat oven to 400 F. Grease an 8 or 9 inch pan. Combine dry ingredients. Stir in milk, oil, egg, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until light golden brown.

Long Time No Blog...

2009-08-22T18:29:00.004-04:00

It's certainly been a long time since my last blog post. I have the best of intentions, even photographing things I've made, but somehow I never get around to posting. I am going to try to do better. I even wonder how many people are reading this thing anyway? I mainly started it as a place to keep track of recipes.

Chapchae (Noodles with Beef and Mixed Veggies)

2009-05-19T23:51:00.005-04:00

I had beef in the fridge and wanted to make a stir fry. I came across this recipe on the Cooking Light website. I had all the ingredients at home so I thought I'd give it a try. According to Cooking Light, Chapchae is the most popular noodle dish in Korea. I am not sure how authentic this recipe really is, but it tasted pretty delicious! I took some liberties with the vegetables and used fresh mushrooms, onions, baby corn, bamboo shoots and water chesnuts. But I am sure the original recipe with spinach added would have been just as good.

Chapchae (Noodles with Beef and Mixed Vegetables)

from Cooking Light

Beef:
1 teaspoon cornstarch
8 ounces eye of round steak, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons sambal oelek or Thai chile paste
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
Cooking spray

1 (3.75-ounce) package uncooked bean threads (cellophane noodles)

Vegetables:
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 6 ounces mushrooms)
1 cup (2-inch) diagonally sliced green onions
1 cup (2-inch) julienne-cut carrot
1 (10-ounce) bag fresh spinach

Remaining ingredients:
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

To prepare beef, sprinkle cornstarch over beef; toss to combine. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and next 4 ingredients (1 tablespoon soy sauce through 3 garlic cloves); toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add beef mixture; stir-fry 3 minutes or until done. Remove mixture from pan. Cover and keep warm.
To prepare noodles, pour boiling water over noodles; let stand 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain. Snip noodles several times with kitchen shears.

To prepare vegetables, wipe skillet or wok clean with paper towels. Heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil and vegetable oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add red pepper and 5 garlic cloves; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add mushrooms, onions, and carrot; stir-fry 3 minutes. Add half of spinach; stir-fry 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Add remaining spinach; stir-fry 2 minutes or until spinach wilts.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add beef mixture and noodles to pan, stirring well to combine. Combine 1/3 cup soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over noodle mixture; stir well to combine. Cook over medium-low heat 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Garlicky Black-Pepper Shrimp and Black-Eyed Peas

2009-05-16T12:31:00.007-04:00

My mother-in-law recently gave me a subscription to Gourmet magazine. The March issue had this wonderful recipe for shrimp. It is different than my go-to shrimp recipes so I decided to give it a try. I am glad I did! It would make a great meal on a chilly fall day. I served it with biscuits which was good since there was a lot of broth.

Garlicky Black-Pepper Shrimp and Black-Eyed Peas

from Gourmet Magazine March 2009

4 bacon slices
4 scallions, chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
2 (15-oz) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

For Shrimp:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine

Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until browned but not crisp. Transfer bacon to a plate, then tear into small pieces.

Cook scallions, carrot, celery, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, red-pepper flakes, 1/8 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in fat in skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are pale golden, about 10 minutes. Add black-eyed peas and broth and simmer 5 minutes.

Transfer to a bowl.

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Season shrimp with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Cook shrimp with garlic, stirring occasionally, until just opaque (shrimp will not be fully cooked), about 3 minutes. Add wine and bring to a boil, then briskly simmer 2 minutes. Add bacon and black-eyed-pea mixture and simmer until just heated through (mixture will be juicy). Discard bay leaves.

Turkey Meatball Pasta Bake

2009-04-29T21:55:00.007-04:00

I was looking through the starred posts on my Google reader when I came across this recipe from Reservations Not Required. I didn't realize quite how long this would take. I even used my Kitchen Aid mini chopper to chop the veggies and parsley. It was a good recipe - I wasn't sure how I would like the combo of sour cream and cream cheese, but it wound up tasting like a ricotta mixture. I would make this one again. Oh and the hubs took this picture with our new camera - it should be better than the pictures I've been posting :)

Turkey Meatball Pasta Bake

from Cooking with Paula Deen, September/October 2008

Makes about 8-10 servings

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 cup panko

1/4 cup minced green onion

1/4 cup minced red bell pepper (I omitted)

1 large egg

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 16 0z box rigatoni noodles, cooked and kept warm (I used rotini)

1 8 0z package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

Zesty Tomato Sauce, recipe follows

1 8 0z package shredded mozzarella cheese

1 5 oz package grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a cooling rack over pan. Spray rack with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine turkey, breadcrumbs, green onion, bell pepper, egg, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, and salt. Shape mixture into golf ball-size balls; place on prepared cooling rack. Bake 15-17 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside.

Lightly grease 13x9 inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine hot cooked pasta, cream cheese and sour cream, stirring to combine. Spoon half of mixture into prepared baking dish. Top evenly with half of meatballs. Spoon half of Zesty Tomato Sauce over meatballs. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese. Repeat procedure with remaining noodle, meatballs and sauce. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve immediately.

Note: This dish can be made a day ahead of baking. It can also be prepared and frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator before baking.

Zesty Tomato Sauce

Makes about 6 1/2 cups

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1 tablespoon minced freshly parsley

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until onion is tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Trader Joe's Prize from Joelen

2009-04-29T21:44:00.004-04:00

I am always amazed at the generosity of food bloggers. Recently I won an awesome contest sponsored by one of the nicest people I have met online, Joelen, from Joelen's Culinary Adventures. She has recently started a weekly contest called Foodie Freebie Friday. I won a few weeks ago, okay maybe a few months ago, and am just now getting around to blogging about it. The theme of my prize was a box of goodies from Trader Joe's. It was fun to receive this box and try out some new foods and snacks that I have never tried before!

Garlic Beef Enchiladas

2009-04-19T12:49:00.004-04:00

I decided to make homemade enchiladas a few weeks ago. I used a recipe from the Taste of Home website. It came out very delicious. I especially liked the sauce. I served it with Spanish rice.

Garlic Beef Enchiladas

from Taste of Home

1 pound ground beef (I used a 1.3 lb package of ground turkey)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage (I omitted since I don't have it on-hand)

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes (I used 1 can fire roasted tomatoes)

Sauce

4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder

1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 to 2 teaspoons rubbed sage (I omitted since I don't have it on-hand)

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 flour tortillas (7 inches)

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

In a large saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the flour and seasonings until blended. Stir in tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another saucepan, saute garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in broth; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in tomato sauce and seasonings; heat through.

Pour about 1-1/2 cups sauce into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Spread about 1/4 cup beef mixture down the center of each tortilla; top with 1-2 tablespoons cheese. Roll up tightly; place seam side down over sauce. Top with the remaining sauce.

Cover and bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 10-15 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.

Yield: 4-6 servings.

Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup

2009-04-19T12:39:00.008-04:00

Last weekend, we had a nice breakfast for Easter morning. I made Paula Deen's recipe for Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup. I have made this recipe before and have always been pleased. It is very tasty, especially the topping. It is easy to make since you prepare it the night before and just bake it the next morning. It even reheats well in the microwave.
Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup

from Paula Deen

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)

8 large eggs

2 cups half-and-half

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Dash salt

Praline Topping, recipe follows

Maple syrup

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Ina's Baked Shrimp Scampi

2009-03-26T23:28:00.006-04:00

I received Ina Garten's Back to the Basics for Christmas. I just now made my first recipe from the book. Usually Ina's recipes are dead on, but I was a bit lukewarm on this one. I think it had to do with the fact that it was highly salty. I even used unsalted butter, but adding the extra salt called for in the recipe ruined it for me. Since I was in a rush after going to the gym, I didn't bother arranging the shrimp artfully in the pan - I just dumped them in and put the topping over the shrimp.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

2 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp in the shell
3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1/4 cup minced shallots
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 extra-large egg yolk
2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Chicken with Mustard Mascarpone Marsala Sauce

2009-03-01T11:26:00.004-05:00

I wanted to make chicken marsala as I had some thin chicken breasts. I debated on whether to make the Cooks Illustrated recipe, which I heard raves about or whether to try something different. That's when I came upon this recipe from A Toast to Tiffany. I am glad that I tried this one, it was excellent. I even had leftovers for lunch the next day.

Chicken with Mustard Mascarpone Marsala Sauce

from Giada De Laurentiis

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, each breast cut crosswise into 3 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup dry Marsala wine
1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, plus whole sprigs, for garnish
12 ounces dried fettuccine

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly.

While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain. Toss the fettuccine with 3 tablespoons of butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Swirl the fettuccine onto serving plates. Spoon the chicken mixture over top. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve.

Shrimp Creole for Mardi Gras

2009-03-01T11:14:00.005-05:00

I love Shrimp Creole. I like trying new recipes so I googled until I found this one from Bakespace. It was very good and something I will make again. I used 1.25 lbs of 24/30 shrimp and cut the recipe in half. It worked out perfect. Shrimp Creole

from patentman on Bakespace.com

3 pounds of cleaned, deveined 36/40 shrimp
1 lb cleaned, deveined 70/90 shrimp
2 cups diced bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
3 tbs of oil
3 cups chopped onion
3 tbs butter
4 tbs tomato paste
2 tbs chopped garlic
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp thyme leaves
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp salt

2 bay leaves
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) of diced tomatoes with liquid

4 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tbs dried parsley
2 tsp sugar
2 tbs butter
1 1/2 tbs all purpose flour
1/2 tbs salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbs thyme leaves
2 tbs fresh lemon juice

Saute 2 cups diced bell pepper and 1 cup chopped celery in 3 tbs of oil in a 6 quart heavy bottomed pot over medium heat until they just get tender. About 8-10 minutes. Add 3 cups chopped onion and 3 tbs butter and saute for another 5 minutes until the onions get tender but not brown. Scrape the vegetables from the center of the pan, add 1 more tbs butter to the pan in the empty spot and put in 4 tbs tomato paste. Fry the tomato paste until it darkens.

After the tomato paste darkens, add 2 tbs chopped garlic and then mix the tomato paste, garlic and the vegetables together and saute for another minute until you can smell the garlic. Stir in 2 tsp paprika, 2 tsp thyme leaves, 1 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 2 tsp salt, 2 bay leaves and saute for another minute. Add 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) of diced tomatoes with liquid, 4 cups low sodium chicken broth, 2 tbs dried parsley, 2 tsp sugar and 1 lb cleaned, deveined 70/90 shrimp. Stir thoroughly and simmer for 1 hr.

Melt 2 tbs butter over medium heat in a nonstick pan. After the butter melts and starts to bubble, add 1 1/2 tbs all purpose flour and stir continuously until flour browns to a beige french vanilla colored roux. Immediately mix the roux into the simmering tomatoes, shrimp and vegetables along with 1/2 tbs salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1 tbs thyme leaves. Simmer for another five minutes. Add 3 pounds of cleaned, deveined 36/40 shrimp. I cook mine for another 45 minutes to an hour. You can just simmer for another 5-10 minutes until the shrimp are just pink if you want. After the simmering period you select is over, add 3 cups of chopped green onions and turn off the burner.
Let sit for 5-10 minutes then add 2 tbs fresh lemon juice and stir well.

It's A Bundt -- Pear Spice Cake

2009-02-21T17:58:00.008-05:00

I love a bundt. Every time I make a bundt cake, I think of the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, where the fiance's parents bring over the bundt cake to the Greek parents. They had never seen one before and didn't know what to make of it.

I had this recipe starred in my Google reader from 2 sources, Dinner and Dessert and Joy the Baker. I just happened to have some leftover pears and whipped cream from Valentine's Day weekend and some leftover buttermilk from making cornbread, so this seemed to be the perfect thing to bake today. It is a very yummy recipe!

Pear Spice Cake with Walnut Praline Topping

from Joy the Baker, who adapted it from Gourmet magazine

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs, separated (I just used the whole eggs in the batter & didn't make the egg whites)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cups buttermilk

3 pears, peeled, cored and diced into roughly 1/2-inch pieces (I used 2 pears)

1 cup walnuts (3 ounces), toasted , cooled, and finely chopped (I used 1/2 cup pecans)

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour bundt pan.

Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Beat together butter, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 4 with a handheld. Add yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in batches, mixing well after each addition. Fold in pear pieces and chopped walnuts.

Beat egg whites in another bowl with cleaned beaters until they just hold stiff peaks, then fold whites into batter gently but thoroughly.

Spoon batter into pan, smoothing top, and bake until a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then invert onto rack and cool completely.

Walnut Praline Topping

3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 cups walnuts, roughly chopped, toasted (I used about 1/2 cup pecans)

Stir golden brown sugar, whipping cream and 1/2 cup butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until smooth. Boil 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in walnut pieces. Spoon warm topping over warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Salted Pecan Carmel Blondie Cake

2009-02-15T13:00:00.005-05:00

Valentine's Day dessert was a delicious new recipe that I found while looking through The Washington Post Food section. It was a yummy combination of blondie + homemade caramel sauce + toasted pecans. I give this a thumbs up!

Salted Pecan Carmel Blondie Cake

from The Washington Post

For the blondie base

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the foil
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the topping

1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup water
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups pecan halves (I used pecan pieces instead of halves)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt

For the blondie base: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the sides and bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with a piece of aluminum foil that is long enough to extend over two ends of the pan. Use butter to grease the foil.
Combine the flour, baking soda and salt on a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper.

Combine the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat on low speed for about 1 minute, until smoothly blended.

Add the eggs and vanilla extract, beating to incorporate, then add the flour mixture; beat just until the mixture is smooth.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Cool the bars in the baking pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour.

For the topping: Heat the cream in a small saucepan. Do not let it boil; adjust the heat to keep it warm while you cook the sugar.

Combine the water and sugar in a heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Uncover, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook for about 6 minutes without stirring until the sugar turns a dark golden color. Watch it carefully so it does not begin to burn. Remove from the heat.

Slowly add the hot cream. The mixture will bubble up, so be careful. Slowly stir until smoothly combined. Add the salt and vanilla extract, stirring to incorporate. Let cool for about 1 1/2 hours, until the caramel is thick enough to cling to the cake. The cooled sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the pecans and melted butter in a medium bowl, stirring to coat the nuts evenly. Sprinkle the sugar and salt over the nuts, stirring to coat evenly. Scrape the nuts onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading them in a single layer. Bake for a total of 15 minutes, stirring once after 8 minutes. Let cool completely.

To assemble: Use the foil to lift the cooled blondie slab from the pan. Cut the slab in half crosswise, creating 2 pieces that each measure 9 by 6 1/2 inches. Trim off the edges evenly. Slide one half-slab onto a serving plate. Tuck wax paper strips just an inch or so under the bottom of the cake all the way around to keep the plate clean. Spread about 1/2 cup of caramel sauce over the top of the cake and place about 1/2 cup of pecans over the sauce.

Transfer the remaining cake, bottom side up, over the filling, centering it carefully. Spread about 3/4 cup of caramel sauce over the cake, letting some drip down the sides. Spoon the
remaining pecans over the top and drizzle 1/4 cup caramel sauce over the nuts. There will be about 1/2 cup of sauce remaining.

Use a large, sharp knife to cut the cake. Serve with additional caramel sauce, if desired.

Recipe Source: From cookbook author Elinor Klivans.

Valentine's Day Recipes

2009-02-14T15:40:00.014-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! I am back finally with new updates for 2009. Yes, it's been a long time. Our camera died and we finally got a new one (Cannon Powershot A1000IS), which I am trying to learn how to use. Hopefully I will be able to keep up and start posting new & exciting recipes. For valentine's this year, we decided to stay in and I made a homecooked meal.

Against my better judgement, I used a steak marinade from Allrecipes.com. I am usually underwhelmed by some of the recipes on there-even the ones with good ratings. It was called the Best Steak Marinade in Existence. Hmmm...it was okay. Maybe it needed to marinate for the full day instead of just a few hours.

The sweet potato casserole, a request from my husband was delicious! I usually don't go by a recipe, but this time I followed one from the food network and then threw in some canned pineapple like usual and topped it with roasted marshmallows! Yum!

For the Appetizer, I decided to go with one that I made in the past. It was very good! The pears complemented the prosciutto in a good way, along with the cream sauce.
Roasted Prosciutto-Wrapped Pear With Blue Cheese Cream

from The Washington Post

The pear wedges may be wrapped up to 2 hours before serving.

6 very thin slices prosciutto, trimmed of excess fat (used one 3 oz package)

1/2 medium Bartlett or Anjou pear, cored and cut into 6 wedges (used 2 Anjou pears)

3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

2 tablespoons light cream (used heavy whipping cream)

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped thyme (used dried)

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Lay the prosciutto slices side by side on a work surface. Place a pear wedge near the end of each one and roll up. Transfer the wrapped pear wedges to the baking sheet and roast about 6 minutes, until the prosciutto is lightly browned and the pear has softened.

Meanwhile, combine the blue cheese, cream and thyme in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the cheese melts. Season with pepper to taste. Arrange the roasted wrapped pears on a plate around a small bowl containing the blue cheese cream. Serve immediately.

Best Steak Marinade in Existence

from Allrecipes.com

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder

3 tablespoons dried basil

1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional)

1 teaspoon dried minced garlic (optional)

Place the soy sauce, olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, basil, parsley, and pepper in a blender. Add hot pepper sauce and garlic, if desired. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds until thoroughly mixed.

Pour marinade over desired type of meat. Cover, and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Cook meat as desired.
Sweet Potato Casserole
from Food Network Kitchens

2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large), scrubbed (I used 4 potatoes)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten with a fork
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted plus more for the preparing the pan
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper (I omitted)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans (I topped with marshmallows)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and pierce each one 2 or 3 times with a fork. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool.

Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F. Scoop the sweet potato out of their skins and into a medium bowl. Discard the skins. Mash the potatoes until smooth. Add the eggs, butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and pepper to taste. Whisk the mixture until smooth.

Butter an 8 by 8-inch casserole. Pour the sweet potato mixture into the pan and sprinkle the top with the pecans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until a bit puffy. Serve immediately.

Spaghetti a la Betsy

2008-12-14T21:25:00.005-05:00

With apologies to The Pioneer Woman, I have modified her Penne A La Betsy and used spaghetti! Since I had leftover heavy cream, I decided to try this recipe since it's been in my Google reader forever. It was quite tasty. It reminds me of a recipe that I have made with sausage but instead of tomato sauce, it's 1 can of diced tomatoes.

Penne A La Betsy

from The Pioneer Woman Cooks blog

¾ pound penne pasta (I used thin spaghetti)

3 tablespoons butter, divided

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pound large shrimp

1 small white onion, finely chopped (I also added mushrooms)

2 cloves garlic, minced (I used 3)

½ cup white wine

1 (8-ounce) can plain tomato sauce

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon fresh parsley (I omitted)

5 chopped basil leaves, chiffonaded

salt & pepper to taste

Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, while water heats and pasta cooks, make the sauce. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for a few minutes, until opaque.

Remove to a plate to let cool. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally.

While the onion and garlic are cooking, chop the shrimp into small, bite-sized pieces.

Add the wine to the pan and allow to reduce for a few minutes.

Stir in tomato sauce. Add the heavy cream and stir well to combine. Add shrimp back to the skillet and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the parsley and basil and mix well.

Drain pasta and return to pot. Add the sauce to the pot and stir well to combine. Serve.

Apple Spice Bars

2008-12-14T21:17:00.004-05:00

These bars are seriously some of the best ever! The recipe is from Katie's blog, Good Things Catered. I know that anytime I make a recipe of hers, it will come out delicious! I made these once before, but my husband got to them before I could take a picture.

Apple Spice Cookie Bars

from Good Things Catered

2 c. plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg (I used more like 1/4 tsp)

1/8 tsp allspice (I used more like 1/4 tsp)

small pinch ground cloves (I omitted since I didn't have any)

1/2 c. butter, melted

1 c. packed brown sugar

1 c. white sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

2 apples, cored and diced (a little less than 2 c.) (I used 3 small Honeycrisp apples)

cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 9x13 pan with foil and baking spray.

-In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.

-Whisk to combine well and set aside.

-In bowl of stand mixer, combine sugars and butter and beat on medium high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

-Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to combine.

-Add vanilla extract and beat to combine.

-Turn mixer on slow and fold in flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.

-Fold in apples.

-Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan and sprinkle top generously with cinnamon sugar.

-Place in oven and bake until cooked through, when top slightly bounces back to the touch, about 30 minutes.

-Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from pan, cutting and serving. (bars will be very soft)

Mexican Lasagna

2008-11-02T09:52:00.003-05:00

Here's a simple recipe that has been getting a lot of attention on various cooking blogs--Rachel Ray's Mexican Lasagna. It's kind of like eating a taco in casserole format. It was quite tasty and very easy to make.

Mexican Lasagna

from Rachel Ray

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground chicken breast, available in the packaged meats case (used 1.5 lbs ground turkey)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 red onion, chopped (used whole onion)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1 cup medium heat taco sauce or 1 (14-oz) can stewed or fire roasted tomatoes (I used 1 can of diced fire roasted tomatoes)
1 cup frozen corn kernels (I used one can of corn)
Salt (omitted)
8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas, available on dairy aisle of market (I used regular tortillas)
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack (I used shredded Mexican blend)
2 scallions, finely chopped

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. Top with the scallions and serve.

Chicken Piccata Pasta Toss

2008-10-09T19:00:00.007-04:00

One of my favorite dishes is chicken piccata. Now I already have a favorite recipe that I make all the time. I wasn't quite sure that anything could be as good. However, this recipe that I saw on Lauren's Kitchen and And A Cookie For Dessert sounded pretty damn good. So in the interest of trying something new, I took the plunge and it was actually quite good. Not quite as good as my tried and true recipe, but good in a different kind of way.

Chicken Piccata Pasta Toss
from Rachel Ray's website

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 1/3 pounds chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons butter
8 cloves garlic, chopped
4 shallots, chopped
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup white wine
2 lemons, juiced
2 cups chicken broth or stock
6 tablespoons capers, drained
1 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 pound penne rigate pasta, cooked to al dente (I used thin spaghetti)
Chopped or snipped chives, for garnish (omitted)

Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add two tablespoons of EVOO and the chicken to the pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken until lightly golden all over, about 5-6 minutes.Remove chicken from pan and return the skillet to the heat.

Reduce heat to medium. Add another tablespoon EVOO and one tablespoon butter, the garlic and shallots to the skillet. Sauté garlic and shallots three minutes. Add flour and cook two minutes. Whisk in wine and reduce liquid one minute. Whisk lemon juice and broth into sauce. Stir in capers and parsley. When the liquid comes to a bubble, add remaining 1/2 tablespoon
butter to the sauce to give it a little shine.

Add chicken back to the pan and heat through, 1-2 minutes. Toss hot pasta with chicken and sauce and serve. Adjust salt and pepper, to your taste. Top with fresh snipped chives.

Swedish Meatballs

2008-10-09T18:46:00.005-04:00

The other night, I had a yen for Swedish Meatballs. I have no reason why! Luckily I had a package of ground turkey and sour cream in the refrigerator. I also happened to have starred a recipe in my Google Reader so I was in luck. What follows below is the recipe from the A Taste of Home Cooking blog, originally a Rachel Ray recipe. Unfortunately, my picture is not quite as nice!

Swedish Meatballs and Egg Noodles

Comfort Foods: Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals

Meatballs

1 pound ground chuck, or ground beef, pork and veal mix

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

1 small onion, finely chopped (or grated on a box grater)

A few drops Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper

Sauce

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup dry sherry

1 cup beef broth

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup sour cream

1 bag wide egg noodles

1 tablespoon butter

A handful of chopped parsley

Cook egg noodles according to package directions. While waiting for the water to boil, make the meatballs and sauce.

To bake meatballs: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix ingredients for meatballs in a medium-size bowl. Form bite-size balls and place on nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes.

To cook meatballs on the stovetop: preheat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Mix ingredients for meatballs in a medium-size bowl. Form bite-size balls and add directly to the pan as you roll them. Once the last ball has been rolled, give the pan a good shake and place a lid or aluminum foil over the top. Cook meatballs 10 to 12 minutes, turning them occasionally. Remove meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate, wipe out pan, and return to heat to make the sauce.

To make the sauce: melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and continuously whisk until a smooth paste is formed. Slowly add sherry while continuing to whisk sauce; cook until sherry reduces by half. Add broth in a slow stream and continue to whisk until sauce thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Turn off heat and whisk in salt, pepper, Dijon mustard and sour cream.

Once the noodles are cooked, drain them and toss with butter and parsley. Add meatballs to the sauce, stir to coat, and serve over the noodles.

Savory Sweet Potato Fries

2008-10-09T18:38:00.005-04:00

Now I am normally one who likes sweet potatos made sweet, like spiced mashed potatoes or candied. But I decided to stray from the norm and was pleasantly surprised. Here's the recipe I tried with my additions in italics. Enjoy!

Roasted Spiced Sweet Potato Fries

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds (omitted)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt (used sea salt)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 lb medium sweet potatoes

3 tablespoons vegetable oil (used olive oil)

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Coarsely grind coriander, fennel, oregano, and red pepper flakes in an electric coffee/spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Stir together spices and salt.

Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1-inch wedges.

Toss wedges with oil and spices in a large roasting pan and roast in middle of oven 20 minutes. Turn wedges over with a spatula and roast until tender and slightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes more.

Chicken Cobb Burger

2008-08-23T10:44:00.005-04:00

There is a new cooking group called Dinner Divas that is all the rage. I haven't officially joined because I am so bad at updating my blog that I am sure I'll fall behind. But this recipe looked so good that I had to try it. It was a great recipe but the burger was so huge that I had to serve the salad on the side instead of on top. I also used ground turkey and added a bit of Essence to the meat for extra flavor.

I also had a bad cooking accident as a result of trying to imitate Alton Brown's advice on de-pitting the avocado. I sliced my finger pretty good with the knife. This is something I will never try to do again.

Chicken Cobb Burger
from Bobby Flay on Food Network

For the burgers:
8 (1/2- thick) strips bacon
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken (I used ground turkey)
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
4 burger buns, split
1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 slices
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 8 slices

For the vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely shredded romaine lettuce

For the burgers:
Heat the grill to medium. Place the strips of bacon on the grill (lay them across the grate so they don't fall through) and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Increase the heat of the grill to high.

Form the meat into 4 (8-ounce) burgers, brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the burgers until golden brown on both sides and cooked completely through, about 5 minutes per side. Top the burgers with the blue cheese, close the cover, and continue cooking until the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute longer.

Place the burgers on the bottom half of each bun and top with a slice of tomato, 2 slices of avocado, 2 slices of bacon and some of the dressed romaine. Cover each burger with the bun tops and serve.

For the vinaigrette:
Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and oil in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld.

Just before assembling the burgers, place the romaine in a medium bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

Lunch Lady Bars

2008-08-10T09:26:00.004-04:00

Last week I needed something simple to take to a work potluck luncheon. I came across this recipe for Lunch Lady Bars on the Yum blog. They reminded me of Nestle's Tollhouse Cookie Bars. Luckily the recipe was enough to bring to work and have some leftover for home!

Lunch Lady Bars
originally from Allrecipes.com
2 1/2 c. Flour
1 tsp baking soda soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla (I used almond flavoring since I was out of vanilla)
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used regular semi-sweet chips, not mini)

Combine dry ingredients. Set aside. In bowl mix together oil and sugars. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients. Mix in 3/4 c. of chocolate chips. Spread into 9x13 pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 c. chips on top. Bake at 350 for 15-25 minutes or until light golden brown.

Jumping on the Bandwagon--Blueberry Crumb Cake

2008-08-10T09:11:00.004-04:00

Wow - it's been a long time. I finally have something new to post. Last weekend, I made a fabulous blueberry crumb cake from my Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook. Her recipes never disappoint, so this cake was scrumptious! It reminded me of Drake's coffee cakes, but with blueberries. Also it made a lot of streusel topping which was a bonus!

Blueberry Crumb Cake
from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa at Home

For the streusel:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

For the cake:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup fresh blueberries
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.

For the streusel:

Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the cake:

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers,
crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.

I've Been Tagged or Someone's Actually Reading This!

2008-06-18T19:23:00.005-04:00

Yay! Someone is actually reading my blog. I was tagged for a meme by Lovetoeat's Weblog. She is one of the awesome girls on the cooking board that I frequent.

1. Why did you start your blog? I decided to start my blog as a way of keeping track of the many recipes that I was collecting. Our camera is really old, so the pictures on here aren't the best, but they aren't the worst I've seen either. It also serves as a diary of sorts, but with recipes attached.

2. How did you come up with your blog name? It's a play on my name and cooking style.

3. Do your friends and family know about your blog, and what do they think? I haven't really gone "public" with my blog to other friends & family, but have shared it with the message boards I frequent. My husband knows about it since I am always taking pictures of our food.

4. How do you write posts? This is one thing that I've been bad about. After spending 9 hours at work in front of a computer, sometimes the last thing I want to do at home is go online. I also get behind in downloading photos. I tend to do a bunch of posts at once.

5. Have you ever had a troll or had to delete unkind comments? Nope.

6. Do you check your stats or care how many people read your blog? If you care, how do you increase traffic? I do check the stats, mostly to see if anyone is even reading this. I also find it interesting to see what Google searches lead to my blog.

Saturday BBQ Dinner

2008-06-18T19:09:00.006-04:00

Last weekend, we decided to have a pre-Father's Day dinner with steaks on the grill. My husband did the grilling and I did the cooking. This was the day of cooking failures (see Strawberry Meringue Cake post)! I tried a new marinade from Allrecipes.com that was okay. It wasn't anything to write home about, but it was passable. The mini macaroni & cheese bites that I was so excited to try, didn't really come out right. The sauce was incredibly thick so I kept adding milk to thin it out and then the mac bites fell apart coming out of the pan. And the spinach "brownies" I had made in the past didn't seem the same. For what it's worth, the recipes are below.

Marinade for Steak I
from Allrecipes.com

1 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon-style prepared mustard
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced

In a medium bowl, combine the oil, soy sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, ground black pepper, mustard, onion, and garlic. Mix together well, and use to marinate your favorite meat.

Three-Cheese Mini Macs

from Food & Wine

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for brushing
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 packed cup)
4 ounces deli-sliced American cheese, chopped
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika

Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain, shaking off the excess water.

Brush four 12-cup, nonstick mini muffin tins with butter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano; tap out the excess.

In a large saucepan, melt the 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking, until boiling, about 5 minutes. Add the cheddar and American cheeses and whisk until melted. Off the heat, whisk in the egg yolk and paprika. Fold in the macaroni.

Spoon slightly rounded tablespoons of the macaroni into the prepared muffin cups, packing them gently. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano on top.

Bake the mini macs in the upper and middle thirds of the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden and sizzling. Let cool for 5 minutes. Using a small spoon, carefully loosen the mini macs, transfer to a platter and serve.

Strawberry Meringue Cake

2008-06-18T18:54:00.006-04:00

So this was an interesting recipe...I made this cake to go with our cookout last weekend. I had high hopes for the recipe but it just didn't come out right. The cake part was very good - dense like a pound cake - and the strawberries + whipped cream combination was good. However, the meringue layer just didn't work. I don't know if it wasn't cooked enough or what, but the meringue was spongy and not crisp.

Strawberry Meringue Cake
from Joy of Baking

Cake Batter:
4 large egg yolks
1 cup (100 grams) sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) (114 grams) unsalted butter

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

Meringue Layer:
4 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping:
1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons (28 grams) granulated white sugar
1 pound (454 grams) fresh strawberries, sliced (Add a little sugar if necessary)
Confectioners Sugar (powdered or icing) for dusting top of cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Grease and flour two - 8 x 1 1/2 inches (20 x 3.75 cm) round cake pans. Set aside.
Cake: Separate the eggs while they are still cold, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another bowl. Cover the two bowls with plastic wrap and allow the eggs to come to room temperature before using (about 30 minutes).

In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat in the vanilla extract.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans, smoothing the tops with an offset spatula. Set aside while you make the meringue layer.

Meringue: In a clean bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Beat in the vanilla extract.
Divide the meringue between the two cake pans, gently smoothing the tops with an offset spatula. Bake for approximately 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. The meringue layers will have turned a light brown and will be crisp to the touch but soft inside. Place the pans on a wire rack to cool. When completely cooled, remove from pans.

Shortly before serving whip the cream with the sugar until soft peaks form. Slice the strawberries and, if necessary, add a little sugar to sweeten them. Place one of the cake layers, meringue side down, on a serving platter. Spread or pipe half of the whipping cream onto the cake and top with half the strawberries. Gently place the second cake layer, cake side down so the meringue layer is facing up, onto the first layer. Spread or pipe the rest of the whipping cream and then strawberries on top of the meringue. Dust with confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar. If not eating immediately, cover and place in the refrigerator until serving time. The assembled cake will hold in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Serves 8 - 10.

Sunday Barbeque

2008-05-04T23:30:00.004-04:00

I had chicken breasts that needed to be used by Tuesday, so I decided to make a home cooked meal for Sunday dinner. My husband requested barbecue chicken and I turned to my standby cookbook, Weber's Big Book of Grilling. I served it with a German potato salad and jalapeno cornbread. It was all very good!

Warm Potato Salad with Beer Dressing
For Beer Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped white or yellow onion
1 cup lager beer
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons German or Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For Potato Salad:
3 1/2 pounds red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

For Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, lager, vinegar and sugar. Boil until liquid is reduced by a third, about 5 minutes.

Transfer onion/beer mixture to food processor. Add mustard and blend until smooth. With machine running, drizzle remaining oil through feed tube to form smooth dressing. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

MEANWHILE, PREPARE SALAD: Steam potato slices until just tender, about 12 minutes. Gently toss warm sliced potatoes in large bowl with 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Toss warm potatoes, red onion, green onions, celery and parsley with warm dressing. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper and serve warm.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
from Barefoot Contessa at Home

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mesquite-Roasted Chicken
from Weber's Big Book of Grilling

Rub
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
2 teaspoons granulated onion
1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 (3.5-4 lb) whole chickens (I used thin boneless chicken breasts)

Sauce
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons granulated onion
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Mesquite wood chips, soaked in water to cover for at least 30 minutes

Make the rub: in a bowl, combine all the rub ingredients; set aside.
Chickens: remove and discard the neck, giblets, and any excess fat from the chickens.
Rinse the chickens, inside and out, under cold water; pat dry with paper towels.
Remove the backbones and cut each chicken in half.
Coat each chicken half thoroughly with the rub, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

Make the sauce: in a small bowl, whisk the sauce ingredients together along with ½ cup water.
Follow your grill’s instructions for using wood chips; grill the chicken halves skin side up, over indirect medium heat until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 170° in the breast and 180° in the thickest part of the thigh, about 1 ¼ hours.

Remove from the grill and loosely cover with foil; let rest for about 5 minutes before cutting the halves in two.

Serve warm with the sauce on the side.

Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Sauce

2008-05-04T23:17:00.004-04:00

We recently joined Costco and got a coupon for a free roast chicken. So instead of eating it straight out of the box, I decided to make enchiladas. I came across this recipe on the Reservations Not Required blog, but the original recipe is from Everyday Food. It turned out delicious. I served it with black beans and lime which I found on the same blog.

Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Sauce
Serves 6
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (I used a whole rotisserie chicken)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 jars (16 ounces each) medium green salsa (I used Pace brand)
3/4 cup heavy cream
12 corn tortillas (6-inch)
12 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, coarsely shredded (3 cups)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper; place with garlic on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine salsa and cream.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, shred meat, discarding skin and bones. Peel and chop garlic. In a large bowl, combine chicken, garlic, and 1/2 cup salsa mixture.

Stack tortillas flat, and wrap in damp paper towels; microwave on high for 1 minute to soften. Working with one tortilla at a time, dip in salsa mixture, lay flat, and fill with 1/3 cup chicken mixture. Roll up and arrange, seam side down, 8 enchiladas lengthwise and 4 crosswise in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with remaining salsa mixture, then cheese.

Bake until cheese is browned and salsa is bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes; let rest 10 minutes. Serve, sprinkled with cilantro, if desired.

Black Beans with Lime
Serves 6
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced (I used onions)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cans (19 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add white part of scallions, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add beans, chili powder, and 1/4 cup water. Cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with green part of scallions.

A Very Yellow Dinner-Beer Batter Chicken & Hash Brown Casserole

2008-04-25T19:27:00.004-04:00

I realized as I was plating this dinner, that besides being extremely fattening, it was all very yellow. The picture is probably not too appetizing but these two recipes were very tasty and VERY fattening. I realized that most of our dinners this week were not very health conscious!

Creamy Hash Brown Casserole
From Southern Living

1 (32-ounce) package frozen hash brown potatoes (I used Simply Potatoes southwest style)
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can fat-free cream of chicken soup (I used fat-free cream of mushroom soup)
1 (8-ounce) container light sour cream (I used regular sour cream)
1 small onion, chopped
1 (5-ounce) can low-fat evaporated milk (I used 5 oz skim milk)
1/4 cup light butter or margarine, melted (I used butter)
1 teaspoon dried rosemary (optional) (I omitted)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I omitted)
1/4 teaspoon pepper (I omitted)
Vegetable cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (I used Mexican blend cheese)

Stir together first 9 ingredients in a large bowl.
Spoon mixture into an 11- x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle cheese evenly over top.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until bubbly and golden. Remove from oven, and let stand 10 minutes.

Beer-Battered Fried Chicken Tenders
recipe source unknown

1 ½ pounds chicken tenders (raw)
¾ cup vegetable oil

Batter:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 egg
¾ cup pale ale

Dipping Sauce:
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons pale ale
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon salt, lemon zest and cayenne pepper to make batter. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and ¾ cup pale ale or other beer. Pour beer mixture into flour mixture, stirring until just blended and slightly lumpy. Set aside.

To make dipping sauce, beat together in a medium bowl, mayonnaise, heavy cream, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons pale ale, and salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large, deep saucepan, place the vegetable oil. Warm over medium heat. Place chicken tenders in batter mixture. Remove tenders one at a time and gently place in hot oil; it should sizzle loudly. Cook chicken in three batches, turning, about 6 minutes per batch, or until crispy on the outside and fork can be inserted into chicken with ease. Remove chicken from pan with a slotted spoon. Set on a plate lined with several paper towels to drain. Serve chicken hot accompanied by dipping sauce.

Cajun Pasta

2008-04-25T19:22:00.003-04:00

Here's one of our favorite dishes from my Southern Living cookbook - Cajun Pasta. I didn't have green or red peppers on hand, so I used mushrooms which I love.

Cajun Pasta
from Southern Living Cookbook Classics

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 pound unpeeled medium-size fresh shrimp
2 skinned and boned chicken breast halves, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 pound andouille or Cajun smoked sausage, sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used red wine and it turned out fine)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning (I used Emeril's Essence)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon cracked pepper (optional)
1 green pepper, cut into thin strips
1 sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 (16-ounce) package fettuccine, uncooked

Bring water to a boil; add shrimp, and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until shrimp turns pink. Brain; rinse with cold water. Peel shrimp, and devain, if desired. Set aside.

Cook chicken and next 3 ingredients in olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until meat is lightly browned; remove chicken mixture from skillet and set aside.

Add wine to skillet. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 3 to 5 minutes or until wine is reduced to 1/4 cup.

Combine chicken broth and flour, stirring until smooth. Add chicken broth mixture, whipping cream, Cajun seasoning, tomato paste, and if desired, cracked pepper to skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

Add chicken mixture and pepper strips; cook until thoroughly heat. Keep warm.

Cook fettuccine according to package directions; drain. Combine fettuccine and chicken mixture. Toss gently.

Serves 6 to 8.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Nuggets

2008-04-20T09:52:00.003-04:00

I had this recipe starred in my Google reader for awhile now and just got around to making it. It was very good, despite the kind of bizarre picture. Our camera is in great need of updating and is on our list of things to buy. So don't pay attention to the picture, walk, no run to Amber's Delectable Delights to see a great picture and the original recipe! I served ours with blue cheese dressing and tater tots as a side!
Buffalo-Style Chicken Strips with Ranch Dressing
(Adapted from: CookingLight.com)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten (I used 2 large eggs, not just whites)
1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed cornflakes
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
Cooking spray
1/3 cup hot sauce (I used Frank's Hot Sauce)
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I used Tabasco)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup fat-free ranch dressing (I used Ken's Blue Cheese dressing)
4 celery stalks, cut into 1/4 x 3-inch sticks (I omitted)
4 carrots, cut into 1/4 x 3-inch sticks (I omitted)

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine first 6 ingredients in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Place egg whites in a shallow dish. Place cornflakes in a shallow dish. Working with 1 chicken strip at a time, dredge in flour mixture. Dip in egg whites; dredge in cornflakes. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken strips, flour mixture, egg whites, and cornflakes.

Lightly coat chicken strips with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until done, turning once.

Combine hot sauce, pepper sauce, and Worcestershire in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter. Drizzle hot sauce mixture over chicken. Serve with ranch dressing, celery, and carrots.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

2008-04-20T09:43:00.006-04:00

We had some fresh shrimp from the grocery store in need of a good recipe. I received a Food Network cookbook for Christmas that I was thumbing through and found this recipe from Giada. We had never had Shrimp Fra Diavolo so we weren't sure what to expect. The sauce was quite thin but we loved the addition of the onions. Enjoy!

Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

1 pound large shrimp

1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed (I omitted)

1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons

1 medium onion, sliced

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 cup dry white wine

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

3 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves (I omitted)

3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt and red pepper flakes. Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute for about a minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Transfer the shrimp to a large plate; set aside. Add the onion to the same skillet, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan, if necessary, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano.

Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture; toss to coat, and cook for about a minute so the flavors meld together. Stir in the parsley and basil. Season with more salt, to taste, and serve.

Bloggerosity

2008-03-25T11:57:00.002-04:00

Now that's what I call generous. The wonderful cooking blog Cooking by The Seat of My Pants is giving away a FREE ipod! I hope I win, since I must be the last person on earth who doesn't have one.

Shrimp Jambalaya

2008-03-22T10:13:00.004-04:00

I bought some shrimp the other night and was looking for a recipe that I hadn't made before. I decided to make a jambalaya, which is something we haven't had in awhile. Since it was pretty late, I searched for a recipe that was quick to make and was not too complex. Here's what I made, with my substitutions in italics. It was excellent and easy to make!
Jambalaya with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage
Cooking Light magazine

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 ounces andouille sausage, sliced (omitted since I didn't have any)
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 bay leaf
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (used 1 can chicken broth)
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon tomato paste (omitted)
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (used Frank's Hot Sauce)
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained (used roasted variety)
1/2 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp (used 1 lb shrimp)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (sprinkled some dry on top before serving)

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, chopped bell pepper, minced garlic, and sausage; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Add rice and the next 7 ingredients (through bay leaf); cook 2 minutes. Add broth, water, tomato paste, hot pepper sauce, and diced tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Add shrimp; cook 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Stir in parsley.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 426(27% from fat); FAT 12.7g (sat 3.9g,mono 2.8g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 25g; CHOLESTEROL 117mg; CALCIUM 99mg; SODIUM 763mg; FIBER 4.9g; IRON 5.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 52.7g

Lia Huber , Cooking Light, APRIL 2005

Salmon with Basil-Dijon Cream Sauce

2008-03-01T09:31:00.005-05:00

I am always on the quest for the perfect salmon recipe. I came across this recipe and was glad to see that it was Weight Watchers friendly, although with my substitutions, it probably wasn't so. It was a delicious way to serve salmon. I would probably cut the sauce recipe in half next time because we had a lot of sauce left over for just the two of us. I served it with some sauted spinach with blue cheese and pine nuts.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Basil-Dijon Cream Sauce
from the Dinner with Danielle blog

1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon shallot or red onion, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup fat-free milk (I used whole milk)
1 tablespoon Weight Watchers whipped cream cheese spread (I used sour cream)
2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped into thin ribbons
4 ounces boneless salmon fillet
pinch salt
pinch pepper
non-stick cooking spray

Heat oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot, stirring constantly, until shallot starts to soften and edges become slightly brown, 2-3 minutes. Immediately add white wine and whisk in mustard until fully incorporated.

Whisk in milk until fully incorporated, then whisk in whipped cream cheese until fully incorporated. When cream cheese melts, stir in basil and remove from heat promptly. Using a rubber spatula, transfer sauce into a small bowl and set aside

Season all sides of salmon with salt and pepper. Heat same saute pan over medium-high heat. Lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray. Place salmon (top-side down) onto center of pan and cook until slightly brown (2-3 minutes). Reduce heat to medium-low.

Using a large spatula, flip salmon over, cover pan, and continue cooking until internal temperature reaches about 140 degrees, 4-5 minutes. Uncover and remove from heat. Transfer salmon to a plate and drizzle sauce over fish.

Sauce:
6 Servings
1 WW point per serving

Chicken with Beans and Spinach

2008-03-01T09:20:00.002-05:00

I've had this recipe starred in my Google Reader for quite some time and have just now decided to make it. It was wonderfully good! Plus it gave me a chance to make real bacon, something I haven't made in a long time. It comes from Elly who participates in a cooking message board that I belong to and also happens to have an excellent blog. With the success of this recipe, I can't wait to try her other recipes.

Chicken with Beans and Spinach
from Elly Says Opa blog

Chicken Stew with White Beans and Spinach
Serves 2-4 (but really? probably 2 :)

3 slices bacon, chopped
4 chicken thighs, bone-in and skinless
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. oregano
1 can cannellini or other white beans, drained
2 cups fresh spinach
salt and pepper

In a large saute pan with lid, cook the bacon until it has rendered its fan. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off the bacon fat until about 1 Tbsp. remains in the pan.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and sear it in the bacon fat, to brown, on both sides. Remove from pan.

Add the onions and cook until tender. Stir in the garlic and once the garlic becomes fragrant, stir in the tomato paste. Cook approximately one minute.

Add the wine to the pan to deglaze. Cook for about 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, oregano, salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Add the chicken back in the pan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash about 1/3 of the can of beans with a fork or a potato masher--not into a paste, but just breaking up some of the beans (this will make the texture of the final product better). After the chicken has simmered 15 minutes, add the whole beans and the mashed beans into the pan. Cover, simmering an additional 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Add back in the bacon and the spinach. Cook just until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Serve with some crusty bread to sop up the tomato-y goodness.

Chinese Takeout ATK Style

2008-03-01T08:45:00.003-05:00

I received the America's Test Kitchen "Best New Recipe" Cookbook for Christmas and have just now made my first recipe. I had bought some rancher's reserve beef strips and decided to make the Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli with Oyster Sauce. I was a bit afraid it would have too much of an oyster sauce flavor, something I am not that fond of. But leave it to the chef's at ATK to create a wonderful stir fry that tasted just like Chinese takeout. Enjoy!

Sitr-Fried Beef and Broccoli with Oyster Sauce
from The Best New Recipe cookbook

1 LB flank steak, sliced
3 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS dry sherry
2 TBS chicken broth
5 TBS oyster sauce
1 TBS light brown sugar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS minced fresh ginger
3 TBS peanut or vegetable oil
1 1/4 LBS broccoli, florets cut into bite-size pieces
1/3 cup water
1 small red bell pepper, diced
3 medium scallions, sliced 1/2 inch thick

Combine the beef and soy sauce in a medium bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 10 min or up to 1 hour, stirring once.

Meanwhile, whisk sherry, chicken broth, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in measuring cup. Combine the garlic, ginger, and 1 1/2 teaspoons peanut oil in small bowl.

Drain the beef and discard the liquid. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the peanut oil in a non-stick 12 inch skillet over high heat until smoking. Add half the beef to the skillet and break up the clumps; cook without stirring, 1 minute, then stir and cook until the beef is browned around the edges, about 30 seconds. Transfer the beef to a medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the peanut oil to the skillet, heat until just smoking, and repeat with the remaining beef.

Add 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil to now-empty skillet; heat until just smoking. Add the broccoli and cook 30 seconds; add water, cover the pan, and lower the heat to medium. Steam the broccoli until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes; transfer to paper towel–lined plate.

Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons peanut oil to the skillet; increase heat to high and heat until just smoking. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until spotty brown, about 1 1/2 minutes.

Clear the center of skillet; add the garlic and ginger mixture to the clearing and cook, mashing mixture with a spoon, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds, then stir mixture into the peppers. Return the beef and broccoli to skillet and toss to combine. Whisk the sauce to recombine, then add to the skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds.

Transfer to serving platter, sprinkle with the scallions, and serve.

Fish Tacos Aunt Sandy Style

2008-02-24T15:36:00.004-05:00

One of our favorite dishes at our favorite pub is Fish Tacos. I haven't been that adventurous to try to make them myself, until I got a bag of frozen fish sticks. So I channeled my inner Aunt Sandy and created my version of Semi-Homemade Fish Tacos. Using the frozen fish sticks and making an Asian cabbage slaw, guacamole and cilantro cream, the resulting dinner was not too bad!

Asian Cole Slaw
from the blog Dinners for a Year and Beyond

5 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
dash of hot sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup toasted almonds, slivered

Mix together mayonnaise, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, hot sauce, and sugar. Add cabbage and almonds and toss to coat. Chill for about 30 - 1 hour before serving.

Not Your Mama's Tuna Noodle Casserole

2008-02-24T15:26:00.004-05:00

No cream of crap here. Every now and then, I get a craving for Tuna Noodle Casserole. I love this recipe from my Betty Crocker Cookbook. It uses a mixture of flour and real milk instead of canned soup. I also like topping it with crushed plain potato chips!
Tuna-Pasta Casserole
from Betty Crocker's Cookbook Bridal Edition

Crumb Topping (see below) or 2/3 cup crushed potato chips
1 1/4 cups uncooked medium pasta shells or elbow macaroni (about 5 ounces)
2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded sharp process American or cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1 cup frozen (thawed) green peas
2 (6-ounce) cans tuna in water, drained

Crumb Topping
2/3 cup crushed cereal (Wheaties, Cheerios or Country cornflakes or dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine, melted

1. Heat oven to 350°. Make Crumb Topping; set aside.

2. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.

3. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in 1 1/2-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Gradually stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheese until melted.

4. Mix pasta, broccoli, tuna and sauce in ungreased 2-quart casserole. Cover and bake about 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with topping. Bake uncovered about 5 minutes or until topping is toasted.

Crumb Topping
2/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine, melted
Mix ingredients.

Valentine's Dinner 2008

2008-02-16T11:41:00.006-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day 2008! For dinner this year, I decided to go with one of our favorite shrimp recipes, Spicy Shrimp Scampi and roasted asparagus. For appetizers, I came up with an idea to take crescent dough and fill it with a piece of brie and cranberry sauce, and make a mini muffin tart. I baked them in the oven for 10 minutes to brown them and melt the cheese. And for dessert, what better than Funfetti Cake with Strawberry Fluff icing. I also used pink sugar crystals to make a heart decoration.

Cranberry Brie Bites

Spicy Shrimp Scampi with AsparagusFunfetti Cake with Strawberry Fluff Icing

Hershey's Ultimate Brownies

2008-02-16T11:34:00.004-05:00

Upon seeing so many yummy brownie recipes online, I am now on a quest for the perfect brownie. I found a recipe in my Hershey's cookbook for Ultimate Brownies and figured that would be a good start. The brownies were pretty yummy and the addition of chocolate chips gave them a little bonus! They were so good plain that I didn't bother with frosting them.

Ultimate Chocolate Brownies

3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted and divided
1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan or two 8-inch square baking pans.

2. Stir together cocoa and baking soda in large bowl; stir in 1/3 cup butter. Add boiling water; stir until mixture thickens. Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining 1/3 cup butter; stir until smooth. Add flour, vanilla and salt; blend completely. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan, 30 to 35 minutes for square pans or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares. About 36 brownies.

Turkey Meatballs & Spaghetti

2008-02-10T11:30:00.000-05:00

I have been on a quest to find the best meatball and spaghetti sauce. I recently tried two recipes that were wonderful. I used recipes on two separate blogs to make this dish. For the sauce, I tried a recipe from the Reading, Riting & Recipes blog. For the meatballs, I went to the Carrie in the Kitchen blog, and substituted the ground beef for turkey. I am pleased to report that both recipes were delicious!

Meatballs

1.5 pounds ground round (I used ground turkey)

1/4 cup finely shredded fresh parmesan cheese

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1 tsp dry mustard

3/4 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

2 garlic cloves, crushed

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400F.

Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in a bowl and stir well. Shape mixture into 1.5 inch meatballs. Place on a broiler pan coated with cooking soray. Bake at 400 degress for 15 minutes of until done.

Best Red Sauce Evah
1 TBS EVOO
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onions
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1/4 cup red wine
28 oz. Diced or Crushed Tomatoes (I used crushed tomatoes)
1 Can Tomato Paste (6 oz)
1 1/2 cups chicken or beef broth (I used beef broth)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried Oregano
2 Tbs Chopped Fresh Basil
3 Tbs Chopped Fresh Parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste
2-4 Tbs butter

Heat the EVOO in a large saucepan. Cook the onions until soft. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant. Add the wine and reduce until almost completely evaporated. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, broth and seasonings. Bring to a light boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. At end of cooking, add butter 1 Tbs at a time to round out the flavors and cut the acidity, tasting as you go.

Thai Coconut Chicken

2008-02-10T11:20:00.000-05:00

If there is one thing that I love, it's Thai food. I have attempted to make Thai cuisine at home but it never turns out like it does at a restaurant. I found this yummy recipe on the Dinner With The Bickfords blog. I was also pleased to find out that it was Weight Watchers friendly.

Thai Coconut Chicken
2 teaspoons oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste (I used green Thai curry paste)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 pound asparagus, cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces (I used onions, mushrooms, and green pepper)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 Tablespoon fish sauce (I omitted this because I hate fish sauce)
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 cups cooked brown rice (I used Jasmine rice)

1. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet, then add the chicken and sprinkle with the salt. Saute until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

2. Heat the remaining oil in the same skillet over low heat, then add onion, garlic and ginger. Saute until fragrant and the onions are softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the sugar, curry paste, and cumin; cook 1 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the asparagus, coconut milk and fish sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the chicken and basil; heat through. Serve over rice.

My Favorite Meal - Chicken Scaloppini with Lemon Sauce

2008-02-03T11:32:00.000-05:00

Chicken Scaloppini with Lemon Sauce is one of my favorite meals. I love this recipe from my Southern Living Cookbook. I usually thicken the sauce with some arrowroot so it make a gravy to pour over the pasta. Enjoy!

Chicken Scaloppini with Lemon Sauce
Serves 6

6 chicken breast halves, skinned, boned, and halved
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 to 3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup Chablis or other dry white wine
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Place each chicken piece between 2 sheets of waxed paper; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or a rolling pin.

Combine flour and pepper; stir well. Dredge chicken in eggs and then in flour mixture, shaking off excess flour. Set chicken aside.

Heat butter and oil in a heavy skillet. Cook chicken in skillet over medium heat about 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and done. Remove chicken to serving platter; keep warm.

Add mushrooms and 1/4 cup water to pan drippings; cook over medium heat, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Spoon mushrooms over chicken.

Add wine and lemon juice to the skillet, heat thoroughly. Pour sauce over chicken; sprinkle with parlsey.

Hamburger Steak with Onions & Gravy

2008-02-03T11:20:00.000-05:00

I was feeling a bit retro, so I thought I would make a somewhat homestyle meal - Hamburger Steak with Onions & Gravy. I used ground turkey which made it a bit healthier. It turned out great, despite the fact that I had run out of egg noodles and had to use macaroni!

Hamburger Steak with Onions and Gravy
Ready In: 40 Minutes

Yields: 4 servings

1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup thinly sliced onion
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon cooking sherry
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Form into 8 balls, and flatten into patties.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the patties and onion in the oil until patties are nicely browned, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the beef patties to a plate, and keep warm.

Sprinkle flour over the onions and drippings in the skillet. Stir in flour with a fork, scraping bits of beef off of the bottom as you stir. Gradually mix in the beef broth and sherry. Season with seasoned salt. Simmer and stir over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, until the gravy thickens. Turn heat to low, return patties to the gravy, cover, and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Funtastic New Year

2008-01-20T09:56:00.001-05:00

Yeah, I know, it's been a LONG time since I have posted anything new. The holidays were a blur with traveling and getting sick for a month. So now that it's 2008, I thought we'd start the new year off with some Fun...Funfetti Brownies.

In case you have not tasted the yummyness that are Funfetti Brownies, they are a package mix of brownies with little colored bits of candy that you mix in. A tasty treat even though it's not homemade.

Shepherd's Pie

2007-11-28T00:47:00.000-05:00

With the weather getting cooler, it was the perfect time to make Shepherd's Pie. I used the recipe below from Cooks Country. It turned out great, but I must admit that I used pre-made mashed potatoes (shhhh, don't tell).

Cook's Country Shepherd's Pie

Filling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped fine
2 medium carrots , peeled and chopped fine
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
Table salt and ground black pepper
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup beer
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 cup frozen peas

Topping
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes. peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
Salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup heavy cream, warmed
Ground black pepper
1 large egg, beaten

1. For the filling: Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add onion and carrots and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add meat, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until browned, about 12 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste and cook until paste begins to darken, about 1 minute.

2. Add cream and cook until it spatters, about 1 minute. Add broth, beer, soy sauce, and thyme and simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick but still saucy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in peas, adjust seasonings, and transfer to broilersafe 2-quart casserole dish.

3. For the topping: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and water to cover to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes, return to saucepan, and mash potatoes with butter and cream until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Spread potatoes over filling, using spatula to smooth top (see photo at left). Brush with egg and drag fork across top to make ridges. Bake until filling is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Turn on broiler and cook until top is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Serve.

Just Like Chinese Takeout

2007-11-28T00:34:00.000-05:00

The other night we had takeout Thai food and it did not turn out to be a good experience. The soup we got tasted weird and they put chicken in my Pad See Iew instead of beef. That goes to show that you should always check your bags when getting takeout. I found this recipe on Epicurious.com for Spicy Sichuan-Style Shrimp. Enjoy!

Spicy Sichuan-Style Shrimp
Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes
Servings: Makes 4 servings.

1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
2 tablespoon finely chopped scallions
1 lb raw shrimp, shelled and deveined

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons chili bean sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar or cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Cilantro sprigs, to garnish (optional)

1. Heat a wok over high heat. Add the oil, and when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the ginger, garlic, and scallions.

2. Stir-fry for 20 seconds, then add the shrimp. Stir-fry the shrimp for about 1 minutes.

3. Add the sauce ingredients and continue to stir-fry for another 3 minutes over a high heat. Serve at once.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

2007-11-28T00:21:00.000-05:00

I have been wanting to make dessert for awhile, but decided to make something that wasn't too sweet and was semi-healthy. They even had ripe bananas in a special bag labeled for baking at the grocery store. So I decided to make Banana Coffee Cake with Chocolate Chip Streusel from Bon Apetit magazine. I have used this recipe in the past and it was very tasty.

Banana Coffee Cake with Chocolate Chip Streusel

1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 large)
3 tablespoons buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan. Stir chocolate chips, brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon in small bowl until well blended; set streusel aside. Sift all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, room temperature butter, and egg in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in mashed bananas and buttermilk. Add dry ingredients and blend well.

Spread half of batter (about 2 cups) in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with half of streusel. Repeat with remaining batter and streusel. Bake coffee cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool coffee cake in pan on rack.

I can never spell Cincinnati (Chili)

2007-11-13T00:04:00.000-05:00

For some reason, I can never seem to spell Cincinnati. I always put 1 "n" and 2 "t"s, instead of the other way around. I tried the Cincinnati Chili recipe from And a Cookie For Dessert because it sounded really good. It had a unique combination of spices and flavors. It did not disappoint! I served it with a mound of cheese and over spaghetti. Surprisingly, the spaghetti works - it melds with the chili to create a pasta-like dish.

Cincinnati Chili
from Brooke's Blog
2.5 lbs ground beef
1 tsp olive oil
4 cups water
12 oz tomato paste
1 ¾ tsp onion powder
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp mild paprika
½ tsp hot or Hungarian paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1tsp all spice
¾ tsp celery seed
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp oregano
½ tsp crushed red pepper
½ tsp ground clove
1 oz unsweetened chocolate

Directions:
Brown ground beef in olive oil, then add water, spices and tomato paste. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally and replacing water as needed. Add chocolate and continue simmering for 1 hour, stirring occasionally and replacing water as needed. Serve over pasta or rice.

Oktoberfest

2007-10-26T08:45:00.000-04:00

It's October and that means it's time for our annual Oktoberfest party to celebrate my husband's birthday. The party is heavy on German beer and meats. I also tried out some new ones this year and was happy they were good. The menu consisted of: Spinach & Cheese Puff Pastry Pockets, Buffalo Chicken Dip (aka Crack Dip), Hot Pretzels and Warm Mustard Cheese Dip, Grilled Brats and Sauerkraut, Potato Salad, Shrimp Salad (for the vegetarians), Macaroni & Cheese (for the kids), Birthday Cake, and Cookies. Unfortunately I didn't get shots of all of the food. But here are some pictures & recipes.
Cheese and Spinach Puff Pastry Pockets
12 frozen puff pastry shells, unthawed
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 1/4 cups grated Fontina cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
3 to 5 green onions, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the frozen pastry shells on the baking sheet and bake until they puff and become golden brown, about 20 minutes. Using a small knife, cut out the center of the pastry shells.

Meanwhile, stir the cream, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the spinach, Fontina cheese, Parmesan, and green onions. Spoon the spinach mixture into the baked pastry shells. Bake until the pastries are golden brown and the filling is hot, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the pastries to a platter and serve.

Brats & SauerkrautPacker Brats
4 pounds bratwurst
12 (12-ounce) cans light beer
1 onion, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
8 round hard rolls or 16 bratwurst or hoagie buns, split
Butter Kraut, recipe follows
Ketchup, for serving
Brown mustard, for serving
Chopped onion, for serving Pierce the brat casing multiple times with a fork prior to boiling.

In a large pasta pot, add beer. Add onion and garlic. Bring to a boil. Add brats. Allow beer to come back to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat.

Remove brats from beer, pat dry and grill, turning frequently, until brats are browned all over, about 8 to 10 minutes.

To serve brats "Classic Style", serve 2 brats each on round, hard rolls with Buttered Kraut and brown mustard.

To serve brats "Stadium Style", serve 1 brat on a brat or hoagie pun with ketchup, mustard, onion and Buttered Kraut.

Buttered Kraut
1 (16-ounce) package sauerkraut, drained
1/2 (12-ounce) bottle beer
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

Place sauerkraut in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat (this can also be done in a saucepan on the grill while grilling the brats). Add beer and cook until liquid is almost completely reduced. Add butter, cook, stirring frequently, until butter is melted and absorbs into the kraut, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Potato Salad & Shrimp Salad Platter Creamy Potato Salad
recipe from Katie of Good Things Catered
3 lb. red potatoes, unpeeled
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
8 green onions, white and light green portions, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus parsley sprigs for garnish
3 Tbs. chopped fresh mint, plus mint sprigs for garnish
3 Tbs. chopped fresh basil, plus basil sprigs for garnish
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and boil until tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let cool completely in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Cut the potatoes into 3/4-inch dice. In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, green onions, celery, and the chopped parsley, mint and basil. Add the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and toss gently to mix. To serve, transfer the salad to a large serving bowl and garnish with parsley, mint and basil sprigs. Serves 6.

Shrimp Salad

1 lb small Shrimp, cooked, shelled, deveined

2 Tbsp minced Shallots or Yellow Onion

1/2 cup finely diced Celery

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

2 Tbsp Sour Cream

2 Tbsp Lemon juice

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1/8 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper

Old Bay, to taste

Place the shrimp, celery, cucumber, dill and shallots in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the rest of the ingredients except the salt, and pour the dressing over the shrimp. Toss well. Taste the salad and add salt, if needed. Toss well again. If the salad seems dry, add an extra tablespoon or 2 of sour cream. Cover the bowl and chill it for several hours. Mound the salad on crisp lettuce leaves or spoon it into hollowed-out tomatoes. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Buffalo Chicken Dip - aka Crack Dip
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing
1/2 cup Cayenne Pepper Sauce or Buffalo Wing Sauce
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup diced celery

Heat oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into 9-inch pie plate. Microwave 1 minute to soften.
Whisk in salad dressing, Cayenne Pepper Sauce/Buffalo Wing Sauce, and cheese until smooth.
Stir in chicken and celery.

Bake 20 minutes or until mixture is heated through. If desired, garnish with celery leaves.

Cheese & Mustard Dipping Sauce for the Hot Pretzels
1/4 cup dark beer, such as stout or porter
1/4 cup Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoons cayenne pepper
3 1/2 ounce Cheddar cheese, grated (1 1/2 cups)

Combine the beer, mustard, butter, and cayenne in a small saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk in the cheese. Continue cooking until smooth and all the cheese is melted -- about 5 minutes. Serve warm.

If You Love Garlic, You'll Love this Chicken

2007-10-26T08:35:00.001-04:00

This recipe comes from Guy Fieri on the Food Network. He's the guy from Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. What I did not realize, until recently, is that he has his own cooking show and he won the contest last year to be a food network chef. This was a hearty meal with tons of garlic! I served it with mashed potatoes. Yum!

Oak Town Garlic Vinegar Chicken
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 medium yellow onions, julienned
2 Anaheim chiles, cleaned and julienned
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup minced garlic, divided
8 ounces beer
8 ounces chicken stock
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons green onions, sliced

In large saute pan over medium heat add 2 tablespoons oil, onions, chiles and saute for 3 minutes until translucent. Add chicken thighs and lightly brown. Add 1/4 cup garlic and saute. Deglaze with beer and chicken stock. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until chicken is 3/4 of the way cooked. Remove chicken from saute pan, and let cool, reserve pan and braising broth.

In medium saute pan heat another 2 tablespoons olive oil and lightly caramelize remaining 1/2 cup garlic. When done, remove from heat, and let cool.

In medium mixing bowl, combine, flour, salt and pepper, oregano, paprika, and chili powder. Combine thoroughly, add cooked garlic and mix into a paste.

Take cooled, cooked chicken and press paste on to the chicken. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in garlic pan, and gently place chicken in the pan. Lightly brown chicken on both sides.

Simmer reserved braising broth and add red wine vinegar. When chicken is cooked on both sides, pour vinegar broth over chicken and let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.

Garnish with green onions.

Chili & Cornbread - take 2

2007-10-26T08:10:00.000-04:00

It was a cold and rainy night, so what better food to make than turkey chili and cornbread. I decided to try a recipe from the Shady Brook Farms website for "Farm Hands" Fat Free Chili. I cut back on the spices a bit because it sounded like it would be too hot. I also used Spaten beer.

For the cornbread, I found a recipe from Allrecipes.com that is to die for. It's a sweet cornbread and was very moist. I also thought the name was cute - Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread.
"Farm Hands" Fat-Free Chili
2 packages ground turkey
¼ cup sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, grated
1 tablespoon red peppers, crushed
2 medium green bell peppers, sliced
1 can (14-½ ounce) kidney beans
1 can (12 ounce) tomato paste
1 can (14-½ ounce) tomatoes, crushed
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon dried basil
3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons coarse ground black pepper
¼ cup Worscestershire sauce
¼ cup hot sauce
2 tablespoons paprika
2 cups water
1 can beer (for the cook, or the chili) (optional)
2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese (optional)
2 cups oyster crackers (optional)

In a skillet heat oil and sauté garlic, red pepper and ginger for 2 minutes at high heat. Add turkey and brown until turkey is no longer pink (3 to 5 minutes). Do not cover.

In a 6-quart stockpot, add browned turkey, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, all remaining spices, sliced green pepper, chopped onion and beans. Add 2 cups of water; bring to boil, stirring frequently.

Simmer covered for 1 hour over low heat (add beer now or drink it). Serve with grated sharp Cheddar cheese and oyster crackers.

Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread
1/4 pound butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.

Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Another fall treat--Apple Cake

2007-10-06T08:50:00.000-04:00

I had a bunch of apples to use up and wanted to make something that was not too sweet. I came upon a recipe for Apple Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping and Brown Sugar Glaze. Suprisingly, it was from Emeril on the Food Network. When I think of apple cake, Emeril is not the first chef to come mind. However, this was an exceptional cake and not super-sweet. It stayed moist over the course of several days, which is also a good thing.

Apple Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping and Brown Sugar Glaze

Cake:
1 stick plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples

Crumble Topping:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Brown Sugar Glaze:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter.

In a large bowl, cream together the remaining stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after the addition of each. In a separate bowl or on a piece of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the apples. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading out to the edges.

To make the topping, in a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

To make the glaze, in a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly. Serve warm.

When it's chilly, it's time for chili

2007-10-06T08:13:00.000-04:00

It was cooler a few weeks ago so I made a batch of cornbread and turkey chili. I like the recipe for Rachel Ray's Indian Summer Chili. I like to add kidney beans though. This time I tried a new cornbread recipe. Enjoy!
Rachel Ray's Indian Summer Chili
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
2 1/2 pounds ground turkey (85 percent lean) or ground turkey breast (99 percent lean), 2 packages
4 tablespoons dark chili powder, 2 palm fulls
2 tablespoons grill seasoning blend, any brand, 1 palm full
1 tablespoon cumin, 1/2 palm full
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce, medium to extra-spicy
1 large onion, quartered
2 large peppers, any color combination, red, green, purple, yellow or orange, chopped
1/2 bottle beer (the alcohol cooks out), about 1 cup
1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup smoky barbecue sauce
2 cups corn kernels, optional

Heat a pot over medium to medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, and the turkey meat. Season the meat with: chili powder, grill seasoning, cumin, Worcestershire and hot sauce. Break up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon into small crumbles.

Chop the onion, reserving 1/4 of it for topping the chili. Brown meat 5 minutes, then add onions and chopped bell peppers and cook 10 minutes more. Add beer and deglaze the pan, scraping up the drippings and cooking off the alcohol. Add tomato sauce and barbecue sauce and bring to a bubble. It using corn kernels add them now. Let chili simmer 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings and heat level to your taste. Remove from heat and serve.

Spicy Shrimp Scampi

2007-09-09T09:37:00.000-04:00

I love shrimp scampi - especially when it's spicy! I took this recipe from the Fisherman's Express website, and doubled some of the ingredients to make a larger amount. The recipe below is my changes. Click here to see the original recipe. I served it with Texas toast and sauteed fresh spinach.

Spicy Shrimp Scampi
24 jumbo Shrimp, peeled and deveined

6 Tbsp Olive Oil

4 Tbsp Lemon Juice

4 Tbsp White Wine

3 Tbsp minced Garlic

6 Tbsp unsalted Butter

1/2 Tbsp Red Pepper Flakes

Heat oil in a medium-sized skillet. Over medium heat, add the shrimp. Cook about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, pepper flakes, lemon juice, wine and salt. Cover and cook 3 minutes. Uncover and stir in the butter. Remove from heat. Serve over pasta.

I Don't Even Like Beans

2007-08-31T19:14:00.000-04:00

For some reason, I keep making things with black beans. I don't really like beans all that much. But they are healthy for you and vegetarian. I love this recipe from Cooking Light for their Cuban Black Bean Patties with Pineapple Rice. It is really good and hearty.

If you decide to make this, I would add about 1-2 TBS corn meal to the bean mixture before shaping into patties. If you don't, they tend to ooze all over the frying pan. The extra corn meal keeps them firm.

I served it with the rice and roasted up some broccoli with Italian seasonings.

Cuban Black Bean Patties with Pineapple Rice

recipe from Cooking Light - March 2007

Rice:

1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice
2 teaspoons butter
1 cup diced fresh pineapple
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt

Patties:

2 cups rinsed, drained canned black beans (1 [15-ounce] can), divided
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg white
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup cornmeal
Cooking spray
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

To prepare rice, cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; place rice in a large bowl. Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pineapple; sauté 4 minutes or just until pineapple begins to brown. Add pineapple mixture, cilantro, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to rice in bowl; cover and keep warm. Wipe pan clean with paper towels.

To prepare patties, place 1 1/2 cups beans, garlic, cumin, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl; partially mash with a fork. Place 1/2 cup remaining beans and egg white in a food processor; process 30 seconds or until well combined. Add bean puree to mashed beans in bowl, and stir until combined. Add cheese and onion to bean mixture; stir until combined. Divide bean mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Place cornmeal in a shallow dish. Dredge both sides of each patty in cornmeal.

Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Spoon about 1/2 cup rice onto each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 patty and 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 294(27% from fat); FAT 8.7g (sat 5.4g,mono 1.7g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 10.2g; CHOLESTEROL 28mg; CALCIUM 155mg; SODIUM 532mg; FIBER 3.5g; IRON 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45g

Buffalo Shrimp

2007-08-31T19:05:00.000-04:00

This is the BEST recipe for buffalo shrimp. I've never made buffalo wings, but make this shrimp dish all the time.
Buffalo Alaskan Shrimp
recipe from the Fisherman's Express website

1 lb Alaskan Shrimp
1/2 cup Flour
1 Tbsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/2 cup White Vinegar
1/2 cup Margarine
2 Tbsp Hot sauce
1/8 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 to 1 Tbsp Paprika
1/8 tsp Celery seed
1/8 tsp each Garlic, Salt & Black Pepper
Peanut or Vegetable Oil

Buffalo Sauce Ingredients:
1 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/4-1/3 cup crumbled Blue, Feta or Mexican Cheese
1 Tbsp each Lemon Juice & White Vinegar
1/4 cup fresh Parsley, minced
2 Tbsp Green Onion, minced
1 small clove Garlic, minced
1/4 tsp each Salt & Pepper
Dash Cayenne Pepper
Celery sticks

Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails on. Dry thoroughly on paper towels. Mix flour, paprika and cayenne pepper together in a bowl. Hold shrimp by tail and dip into vinegar and then into flour mixture. Set aside. Melt margarine with hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, celery seed, garlic salt and black pepper. Keep warm.

To Cook Shrimp
Heat 1 inch of oil in a skillet. Fry shrimp, one serving at a time, turning to cook both sides. Drain on paper towels. Quickly dip fried shrimp into hot sauce.

Buffalo Sauce
Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, cheese, lemon juice, vinegar, minced parsley, onion and garlic and seasonings. Refrigerate. (Makes 1 1/2 cups). Serve with Buffalo Sauce and celery sticks.

Serves 4 - 6

I've Been Tagged

2007-08-31T18:16:00.000-04:00

It's so nice to feel loved. I was tagged by Meg, of Meg's Adventures in the Kitchen. So now I have to come up with 8 factoids about myself. Here goes...

1) I snore. LOUDLY. I attribute this to allergies. But I feel for anyone who has to share a room with me. They are not going to get any sleep at all.

2) I can name all 50 states in alphabetical order. In fact I can sing them too. We learned this song in 3rd grade that taught us this.

3) I am afraid of clowns, bugs, going into dark basements by myself, aliens and ghosts.

4) I don't have any brothers or sisters.

5) I am the only person on earth who is not impressed with her Kitchen Aid mixer. I honestly could take it or leave it. It makes me sad because I had wanted one my entire life and now that I have one, it's just not that fantabulous.

6) I love tiramisu. I could eat it every day. I would even take a bath in it, if I could. Luckily the Italian take out place near our house has a cheap and yummy version.

7) I never had a pet until I was 31. Except for a few goldfish. So now that I have 2 adorable kitties, I have gone all crazy kitty mom like.

8) I have eaten cow tongue. Enough said.

So to keep up the trend, I am tagging the following people:

Mrs. Schoon
Tidbits by Jen
Carla's Kitchen
Good Things Catered
And a Cookie for Dessert
Crystal's Creations
Jennyfer's Culinary Creations
Honeybear's Adventures in Food

I'll have a Mojito, Chicken that is

2007-08-21T22:40:00.000-04:00

I had an old jar of Trader Joe's Mojito Simmer sauce sitting in the pantry. I've made used it before with chicken but I wanted to try something that was more of a "recipe." So I was delighted to find a recipe on Jessy's blog Envious Edibles! It was very yummy served over rice. I did change a few things, which I noted in orange in the recipe.

Mojito Chicken

1/2 onion diced (used 1 small onion)
2 cloves of garlic diced (didn't add garlic)
2 chicken breasts ( diced into bite sized pieces) (used 1 lb thin sliced chicken breasts)
1 jar of mojito simmer sauce
1 can of corn (drained) (used canned mexican corn mixture)
1 can of black beans ( drained)
1 tablespoon of Caribbean seasoning (used 1 TBS Emeril Southwest seasoning)
1/3 cup of Bacardi 151 Rum ( or any rum of your choice)
1 pinch of crushred red pepper (sprinkled cayene before serving)

Salt and pepper chicken,sprinkle with Caribbean seasoning, crushed red pepper and cook until brown in small amount of olive oil . (I dipped my chicken into egg and then flour combined with the Emeril seasoning & lightly fried in oil. Then I removed the chicken from the pan) Add Rum and cook until alcohol burns off, remove from pan. Saute onions and garlic, add corn and black beans. Simmer for just a few minutes, then add simmer sauce and add chicken back into the sauce. Serve over rice.

Black Bean Tortilla Casserole

2007-08-18T09:56:00.001-04:00

I found a yummy recipe on my cooking board, posted by MLR513. I had to try it out. It was very good and felt healthy too since it has no meat.

Black Bean Tortilla Casserole
1 large chopped onion
2 10oz cans Rotel tomatoes
½ cup picante sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
2 15oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup reduced fat cream cheese
10 7-inch corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cheese

In large skillet sauté onion, and then add tomatoes, picante sauce and cumin. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Then, stir in beans and heat through. Add cream cheese at the end, and stir until melted. Remove from heat.

Spray bottom of a 9x13 pan. Spread 1/3 of bean mixture on bottom of pan, topping with a layer of tortillas and half of cheese. Then another layer of bean mixture, tortillas and bean mixture. Cover and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle on remaining cheese, and bake until melted. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream, lettuce and guacamole as desired.

Taco-licious

2007-08-18T09:39:00.000-04:00

On Thursday we had taco night. We haven't had tacos since Cinco de Mayo, so this was a big treat. I made homemade quacamole and put out all the fixings, including sour cream, cheese, lettuce shreds, and taco sauce. I served them with refried beans. Very economical to make and yummy too.

BBQ Salmon

2007-08-18T09:27:00.000-04:00

My husband loves salmon. This week I tried a BBQ Salmon dish that I found on the Food Network TV website. I served it with fresh corn on the cob and creamed spinach.

Here's the recipe. I used spicy salt instead of regular salt and used a few splashes of Tabasco instead of the cayene. One thing to note, this is not a thick bbq sauce, it's on the thin side due to all the juice and lack of ketchup.

Barbecue-Roasted Salmon
from Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller

Cooking spray
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, chili powder, lemon zest, cumin, salt, and cayenne. Using tongs, add salmon fillets to the prepared pan. Pour the orange juice mixture over the salmon and turn to coat both sides. Roast for 15 minutes, until a fork can be easily inserted into the salmon.

Calories 302, Total fat 16g, Saturated fat 3g, Cholesterol 84mg, Sodium 402mg, Carbohydrates 10g, Protein 29g, Fiber 1g

Spicy Ground Turkey and Cellophane Noodles

2007-08-11T09:25:00.000-04:00

This is one of my favorite dishes to make! I got it from a diabetic website, of all places. One thing that I do is omit the sugar substitute. It's also a good recipe to play around with. I use whatever vegetables I have on hand and throw in water chesnuts, baby corns, etc.

Spicy Ground Turkey and Cellophane Noodles

1/2 pound ground turkey
1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
3 3/4 ounces bag cellophane noodles
1 teaspoon canola oil
4 scallions sliced, white part and 2 inches green
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
2 teaspoons chili puree with garlic
1 cup 98% fat-free, no-salt-added canned chicken broth
1 tablespoon vodka
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon sugar substitute
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 pound snow peas, strings removed, sliced thin
1/2 pound bean sprouts
slices of fresh lime for garnish

1. To marinate the turkey: In a bowl combine the turkey with the vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Refrigerate and marinate for 20 minutes up to 2 hours.

2. In a bowl, soak the noodles in warm water for 20 minutes. Drain and cut into 2-inch lengths; set aside.

3. In a wok or heavy nonstick skillet, heat oil until hot. Stir-fry the scallions, garlic, and ginger for 1 minute.

4. Add the turkey and chili puree. Stir-fry, breaking up the ground turkey until it is cooked through.

5. Add the broth, vodka, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar substitute along with the noodles.

6. Cook over high heat until the noodles absorb the liquid. Mix in the snow peas, bean sprouts and cilantro.

7. Heat through, and serve immediately with lime slices.

Nutritional Information:Per Serving--
Calories: 247
Carbohydrates: 32g
Protein: 14g
Fat: 6g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Cholesterol: 45mg
Fiber: 3g
Sodium: 373mg

With a little help from my friends

2007-08-11T09:15:00.000-04:00

Tonight I didn't feel like cooking. I made this meal with a little help from my "friends"--Bertolli Vodka Sauce and store-bought fresh tortollinis stuffed with chicken and prosciutto. Add some grilled asparagus and texas toast. Presto - instant dinner!

IHO Bobby Flay--Chicken Cacciatore

2007-08-04T15:27:00.000-04:00

I love me some Bobby Flay! So when he did Chicken Cacciatore on Throwdown, I had to try it out. One thing that is not included in the recipe is the honey. On the show, he drizzled a bit of honey on top right before serving. I added this when I made the recipe. It was simply delish!

Chicken Cacciatore from Food Network TV
1 (3-pound) chicken cut into eighths
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large yellow bell pepper, thinly julienned
1 serrano or jalapeno chile, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup low-sodium canned chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes and their juices
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar or capers
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 pound spaghetti (size 8 or 9) cooked al dente
Basil sprigs
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the chicken pieces on both sides with salt and pepper and place in the pan, skin side down and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the breasts over and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chicken to a large plate. Add the remaining oil to the pan and heat until almost smoking. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown, season with salt and pepper and remove to a plate.

Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the serrano, garlic and chili flakes to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the wine and cook until almost completely reduced. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, and rosemary and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken and mushrooms to the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and cook until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon to a large shallow bowl and tent loosely with foil.

Increase the heat to high and cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the vinegar and basil and pour the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with fresh basil sprigs. Serve over spaghetti and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Crabs, Crabs and More Crabs!

2007-08-02T19:27:00.001-04:00

Living on the East Coast, crabs have always been a fun summer treat. Last week, we had our annual crab feast, complete with steamed crabs, coleslaw, tater tots, corn salad, deviled eggs and strawberry cake for dessert. Here are some pictures.

A closeup of the crabs:

Here's another closeup of the crabs:

The deviled eggs that we had with the crabs. Yes, not a traditional side dish for crabs, but good nonetheless.

And last, but not least, the strawberry cake we had for dessert. Yes, that is pure whipped cream as a frosting!

Well that was easy...

2007-07-28T09:58:00.001-04:00

So I am going to take the big plunge and try out this blog-thing. I am not even sure I'll have time to update this but let's see how it goes :)