The Lazy Housewife Cooks

Homemade Ranch Dressing

2010-10-31T20:40:00.000-07:00

Oh, sadly neglected food blog! It's been a pretty crazy couple of months, and I've been turning to my favorites instead of looking for new recipes. But I made this last night for dinner and it is SO GOOD I had to share it immediately!

I LOVE ranch dressing, but the pre-made bottles have just not been doing it for me. My husband loves salad and I make it with almost every meal on the weekends, but I barely eat any of it.

Except for this weekend. My parents were out, and I made my beloved beef bourguignon, one of my favorite all-time recipes. I barely touched the stew, though, because I was too busy gorging myself on my second helping of salad. My goodness is this DIVINE! It's also pretty simple. I don't think I will ever buy a pre-made bottle of ranch again!

I used just one clove of garlic and it was perfect. Of the optional items, I used one teaspoon of dill, and then added white pepper to taste for a little kick. I would recommend using buttermilk instead of regular milk.

Homemade Ranch Dressing

1 clove (to 2 Cloves) Garlic
Salt To Taste
¼ cups Italian Flat-leaf Parsley
2 Tablespoons Fresh Chives
1 cup (Real) Mayonnaise
½ cups Sour Cream
Buttermilk (as Needed To Desired Consistency)
White Vinegar (optional, To Taste)
Worcestershire Sauce (optional, To Taste)
Fresh Dill (optional, To Taste)
Cayenne Pepper (optional, To Taste)
Paprika (optional, To Taste)
Fresh Oregano (optional, To Taste)
Tabasco (optional, To Taste)

1. Mince the garlic with a knife and then sprinkle about an 1/8 to ¼ teaspoons of salt on it and mash it into a paste with a fork. Chop the parsley, chives and any of the optional herbs very finely and add to the garlic.

2. In a bowl combine all ingredients, adding other optional ingredients as you wish, tasting frequently and adjusting seasonings as needed. Chill for a couple of hours before serving, thin with milk or buttermilk if desired.

Lettuce Wraps

2010-08-15T13:59:00.000-07:00

Source: Group Recipes

If you've never had PF Chang's Soothing Lettuce Wraps, you are really missing out. They are SO GOOD and probably my favorite appetizer of all-time!

These aren't EXACTLY the same - I Googled "PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps" and got quite a few versions, and the lazy side in me won. This version was really easy. My only suggestion would be to halve the ginger and hot sauce - my changes are below. Enjoy!

Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

16 Boston, bibb or butter lettuce leaves (or head of lettuce, rinsed, using large leaves)
1 pound ground chicken breast
1 large onion -- chopped
1/2 Cup pine nuts, chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Asian chili pepper sauce (see Note)
1 can (8 ounce size) sliced water chestnuts -- drained, finely chopped
1 bunch green onions -- thinly sliced
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil

Directions

Rinse lettuce leaves, keeping them whole. Set aside to drain.

Cook chicken in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often to break up the meat. Add onion, garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar and chili sauce. Cook until the meat is crumbled and brown. Add water chestnuts, pine nuts and green onions. Cook until onions begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.

Stir in sesame oil. Arrange lettuce leaves on the outer edge of a platter. Spoon meat mixture in center. Allow diners to spoon meat mixture into lettuce leaves and eat like a taco.

Note: Asian chili pepper sauce can be found in the Asian section of most supermarkets. Some brands contain garlic, which is fine. You can use 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes instead.

Apple Dumplings

2010-08-14T23:21:00.000-07:00

Source: Tasty Kitchen

I've been eying this for awhile. What's not to love - the 2 sticks of butter, or the can of Mountain Dew? This was EXTREMELY well-received at a party recently and I'll definitely be making this again! Just make sure you have some vanilla ice cream on hand - it's not complete without it!

Apple Dumplings

Ingredients
2 whole Granny Smith Apples
2 cans (8 Oz. Cans) Crescent Rolls
2 sticks Butter
1-½ cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Cinnamon, To Taste
1 can (12 Oz.) Mountain Dew Soda

Preparation Instructions

Peel and core apples. Cut each apple into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll.

Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan.

Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour entire mixture over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

Garlic Roasted Potatoes

2010-08-14T11:56:00.000-07:00

Source: Ina Garten

I'm all about no-fuss side dishes. I love potatoes. I love garlic. I love everything I've made from Ina. I love this recipe! I've made Pioneer Woman's version of garlic roasted potatoes, and they're really good, but I hate roasting whole garlic heads and then waiting for them to cool so you can squeeze out the garlic. This recipe was perfect - toss everything together, pop it in the oven, and serve! The only change I made was to also add 1/4 cup of white wine. Enjoy!

Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients
3 pounds small red or white potatoes
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic; toss until the potatoes are well coated. Transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan and spread out into 1 layer. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking in order to ensure even browning.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, toss with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

2010-08-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

Source: Cooking for Two

One of my favorite cookbooks has a grilling section, and I've been happily trying out the recipes. Each time I get kind of a "look" from Kevin - as in, you don't need recipes for grilling! Maybe not, but I always feel better with them, and the chicken would not have been as flavorful without the marinade! I've tried a few different fajita recipes, and this one will go in the regular rotation!

As a note, do not marinate the chicken for longer the 15 minutes. The acid in the lime will turn the meat mushy!

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup fresh lime juice from 2 limes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced

Salt and pepper

2 (6 to 8 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed

1 small red onion, sliced into 1/2-inch rings (keep the rings together)

1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and quartered

6 6-inch flour tortillas

1. Combine 1/4 cup of the oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, Worcestershire, brown sugar, jalapeño, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Measure out and reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade for serving. Add 1/2 teaspoon more salt to the remaining marinade and pour in a large zipper-lock bag. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

2. For a gas grill: turn all the burners to high, cover, and heat the grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave the primary burner on high and turn the other burner(s) to medium.

3. Remove the chicken from the marinade, place on the hotter part of the grill, and cook covered until well browned on both sides, about 8 - 12 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Transfer the chicken to a carving board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest.

4. While the chicken cooks, brush the onion rings and bell pepper with remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the onion rings and bell pepper with on the cooler part of the grill and cook covered, until spottily charred on both sides, 8 - 12 minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking. Transfer the vegetables to the carving board and tent loosely with foil.

5. If you wish to pre-warm the tortillas, place directly on cooler part of grill and cook about 20 seconds per side.

6. Separate the onion rings and slice the bell pepper into 1/4 inch strips. Toss the vegetables in half of the remaining marinade. Slice chicken and toss with the remaining marinade in a separte bowl. Serve with sour cream, lime wedges, and shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack or queso fresco (my favorite!) if desired.

Ham and Cheese Sliders

2010-07-30T22:31:00.000-07:00

Source: Recipe Club

I saw these on Annie's Eats and they were PERFECT for a gathering I was hosting. I wanted to make something warm that was also easy. These could not have been easier and were so tasty! I think the topping makes all the difference!

Ham and Cheese Sliders

Ingredients:

For the sandwiches:
24 slider rolls
24 slices honey ham (or regular ham)
24 small slices Swiss cheese
Mayonnaise

For the sauce:
1½ tbsp. yellow mustard
8 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tbsp. finely minced onion (or 2 tsp. dried minced onion)
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Poppy seeds, for sprinkling

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Split the slider rolls and spread the insides lightly with mayonnaise. Fold a slice of ham to fit on each slider bun, and top with a slice of Swiss cheese. Replace the top bun to assemble the sandwiches. Place the sandwiches on a baking sheet.

To make the sauce, combine all ingredients except the poppy seeds in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle the sauce over the tops of the slider buns. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Cover with foil and bake 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove the foil and bake 2 minutes longer. Serve warm.

Chicken Caesar Salad

2010-07-03T14:57:00.000-07:00

When I told my husband we were having salad for dinner, he gave me a face and said, "I guess I'll have to have ANOTHER dinner." Put your pouting face away - after this dinner was done, he was fully stuffed and actually enjoyed it! He even said he usually doesn't like Caesar salad, but this was really good. I enjoyed it immensely as well. I have been on a real Caesar salad kick, and this fit the bill nicely!

Brining the chicken is key to flavorful, moist chicken. We used tenderloins and brined them for 15 minutes, then cooked about 3 minutes each side. The chicken was so good we've made it that way a few times just to have leftover chicken in the fridge.

Chicken Caesar Salad

Ingredients

Garlic Croutons

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon table salt

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 cups 3/4-inch bread cubes from baguette

Broiled Chicken Breasts

3 tablespoons table salt

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 6 inches each), trimmed of excess fat

Ground black pepper

Caesar Dressing

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus 2 more teaspoons

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 medium garlic clove, minced fine

4 anchovy filets (flat), minced (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad

2 medium heats romaine lettuce, large outer leaves removed; washed, dried, and torn into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. For the croutons: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat over to 350 degrees. Mix garlic, salt, and oil in a small bowl; let stand 20 minutes to infuse flavors, then pour through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl. Add bread cubes and toss to coat. Spread cubes in even layer on rimmed baking sheet; bake, stirring occasionally, until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool croutons on baking sheet to room temperature. (Can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours.)

2. For the chicken: dissolve sugar and salt in 1 1/2 quarts cold water in gallon-sized zipper-lock bag or plastic container. Add chicken and seal bag, pressing out as much as as possible; refrigerate 30 minutes until fully seasoned. Remove chicken from brine, dry thoroughly with paper towels, and season with pepper.

3. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (should be about 6 inches away from heating element) and heat broiler. Spray broiler pan top lightly with nonstick cooking spray and position over pan bottom. Place chicken on pan; broil until spotty brown and firm to the touch, about 8 minutes, turning chicken halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to plate and set aside.

4. For the dressing: Bring 2 inches water to boil in a saucepan over high heat. Lower eggs into water and cook 45 seconds; remove with slotted spoon. When cool enough to handle, crack eggs open; reserve yolks in small bowl and discard whites. Add lemon juice, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, garlic, and anchovies to yolks; whisk until smooth. Whisking constantly, add oil in slow, steady stream. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. (Dressing can be refrigerated in airtight container up to 1 day; shake before using.)

5. To finish salad: In large bowl, toss lettuce, Parmesan, and about two-thirds of the dressing to coat; divide evenly among individual plates. Remove tenderloins from chicken breasts; place in bowl used to dress lettuce, along with remaining dressing. Cut chicken breasts crosswise into 1/2-inch slices, add to bowl, and toss to coat. Divide dressed chicken evenly among plates, arranging slices on lettuce. Sprinkle each plate with a portion of the croutons and serve immediately.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

2010-07-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

You're probably thinking chocolate-dipped strawberries is WAY to easy of a recipe to post, but really, this is more about melting chocolate on the stovetop without ruining it! You can easily ruin a delicious batch of Ghirardelli chocolate (cry) if you overheat the chocolate. Once the chocolate gets too hot, it seizes up and stiffens, and you have to kiss it goodbye!

You can melt chocolate in the microwave, but I prefer stovetop since it heats more evenly and stays melted longer. If you don't have a double broiler, just stack two saucepans on top of each other, smaller one on top.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

1 16-ounce bag of milk chocolate chips

1 quart of strawberries, washed

1. In the larger saucepan, add a couple of inches of water. Ensure when the smaller saucepan is placed on top, the bottom will NOT touch the water. Pour out any excess water if necessary. Bring the water to boiling, then reduce heat until water is gently simmering.

2. Pour chips in the smaller saucepan, and set over water. When the chips start to melt, start stirring. When about half the chips are melted, remove from heat and stir constantly until all the chips are melted.

3. Holding on to strawberry hull or by using a toothpick inserted in strawberry, dip each strawberry in chocolate and set aside on parchment. Refrigerate until needed. Enjoy!

Creamy Taco Mac

2010-06-13T12:46:00.001-07:00

Source: Delish

I've seen this recipe making the rounds on different blogs, so I finally had to break down and try it. It's a healthier version of Hamburger Helper, and frankly, it's not that much harder to make! This came together quickly. The only change I'd make for the future is adding a little spice, whether through a pinch of crushed red pepper, or using canned tomatoes with jalapenos. Enjoy!

Creamy Taco Mac

1.25 lbs ground turkey
8 oz dry pasta + 1 cup reserved pasta water
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
4 Tbsp mild taco seasoning
3 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta per directions. Reserve one cup of pasta water.

2. Over medium heat, brown ground turkey until no longer pink. Add taco seasoning and diced tomatoes. Allow to simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta, reserved water, cream cheese and sour cream. Give it a good stir until cheeses are melty and incorporated. Simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt & pepper, as desired. Top off with cheddar cheese if desired.

My new summer drink!

2010-06-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

Adapted from: Bon Appetit

Rarely do I make something and blog it IMMEDIATELY (I am drinking the pictured as I type), but this is such a delicious, refreshing drink I HAD to! When Kevin and I were in Arizona over Memorial Day weekend, I ordered a "berry thyme" drink from one of the restaurants there and LOVED it. If you've never tried herbs in your drink before, give it a shot! They give it such an interesting and fresh flavor, although you'd never think to add thyme. This Bon Appetit version is almost a perfect match - I used less lime juice and added some club soda for carbonation. My changes are as below. Absolutely addictive!

Raspberry Thyme Smash

2 fresh thyme sprigs, divided
7 fresh raspberries, divided
ice cubes
1/4 cup Hendrick's Gin (or vodka)
2 tablespoons Simple Syrup (see below)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Club soda

Preparation

Remove leaves from 1 thyme sprig; place in cocktail shaker. Add 6 berries; mash with muddler or wooden spoon. Fill cocktail shaker with ice; add gin, Simple Syrup, and lime juice. Cover; shake vigorously until cold. Strain into highball glass filled with ice, and add club soda to taste. Thread 1 raspberry onto remaining thyme sprig; place on rim of glass.

For the simple syrup:

Stir 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil; cool. Cover and chill.

Stir-Fried Beef with Snap Peas and Red Pepper

2010-05-24T19:18:00.000-07:00

Source: Cooking for Two

Holy crap. This cookbook can do NO WRONG. I originally saw this on Life as a Wife in the City, a blog written by my cousin Christine, who is the very person who sent me this cookbook last year :) I had some leftover flank steak in my freezer, so this was perfect for the weekend.

Like most stir-fries, this comes together quickly. While marinating the beef in the soy/sugar mixture, I prepared the rest of the ingredients. I served this over brown rice, and due to how quickly this cooks on the stovetop, I put the rice in the boiling water at the same time I started cooking the beef, and both finished up at the same time.

This was SOOOOOOOOOOO good! I don't even eat beef much, and I cleaned my plate! Note that this makes a true 2 servings - if you're feeding more people, make sure to double it! I ended up using slightly more beef, around 9 ounces.

Stir-Fried Beef with Snap Peas and Red Pepper

6 ounces flank steak, cut into 2-inch-wide strips with the grain, then cut across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoons oyster sauce (found in the Asian section of the grocery store)

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons grated or minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

6 ounces sugar snap peas (about 2 cups), ends trimmed and strings removed

1/2 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced in 1/4-inch-wide strips

1 tablespoon water

1. Toss the beef with soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar in a medium bowl and let marinate for at least 10 minutes, or up to 1 hour. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, broth, oyster sauce, sherry, and cornstarch together. In another bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of the oil.

2. Drain the beef, discarding the marinade. Heat 1 teaspoon more oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the beef in a single layer, breaking up any clumps. Cook without stirring for 1 minute, then stir and continue to cook until the meat is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the beef to a clean bowl.

3. Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to the skillet and heat over high heat until just smoking. Add the snap peas and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the water, cover the skillet, and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 1 minute longer.

4. Uncover and clear the center of the skillet. Add the garlic mixture to the clearing and cook, mashing the mixture into the pan, until fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. Stir the garlic mixture into the vegetables.

5. Return the beef, along with any accumulated juice, to the skillet and stir to combine. Whisk the broth mixture to recombine, and add it to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 30 seconds, and serve.

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

2010-05-22T18:07:00.000-07:00

Source: The Food You Crave

Shrimp has to be one of my all-time favorite meats to cook. First of all, because it's delicious, and secondly, because I'm terrible at putting things in the fridge to properly defrost. With shrimp, all you have to do is throw the shrimp in a strainer and run some water on it for 5 minutes. Yay!

I love feta, but the dill in this recipe intrigued me. I've only used dill for fish recipes. I thought it added such a great flavor of freshness to the dish. If you love shrimp, you'll love this recipe!

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced (1 1/2 cups)

2 cloves garlic, minced

Two 14.5-ounce cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juices

1/4 cup finely minced fresh flat leaf parsley

1 tablespoon finely minced dill

1 1/4 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 ounces)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 5 minutes, until the tomato juices thicken.

3. Remove from heat. Stir in the parsley, dill, and shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle feta over the top. Bake in the oven until the shrimp are cooked through and the cheese melts, about 12 minutes.

Garlic Fries

2010-05-10T22:14:00.000-07:00

Source: The Food You Crave

Please ignore the crappy photo above. I was starving as I was taking the picture. Those fries don't look all that great, but trust me in that they ARE!!! I served these with the chicken fingers and couldn't get enough. I see myself making these frequently as a snack. If you love fries, these are a delicious and easy alternative!

The only word of caution is to keep an eye on them when they're cooking. I attempted a batch of these last week, and maybe I sliced them too thin, but most of them burned after 20 minutes in the oven. The recipe recommends 35, so just check every so often until they're done.

Garlic Fries

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 large baking potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. Heat the garlic and oil together in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Strain the garlic from the oil with a small mesh strainer. Set both garlic and oil aside.

3. Cut the potatoes in 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks. In a large bowl, combine the oil, potatoes, and salt. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and spread the potatoes on it in a single layer. Bake until golden and crisp, about 35 minutes.

3. Remove the potatoes from the baking sheet with a metal spatula. In a serving bowl, toss them with the parsley, reserved garlic, and salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Crispy Chicken Fingers

2010-05-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

Source: The Food You Crave

I hate overly-fried chicken fingers. Like when there's a visible layer of grease in between the chicken and the breading, or the breading is thicker than the chicken. I've all but given up ordering chicken fingers because it's a little overly picky to say, "Can you describe the breading? Maybe you have a plate of chicken fingers you're about to deliver you can show me?"

This is a very healthy way to make chicken fingers, and it's also very easy! I don't typically have buttermilk around, so here's a little trick: measure a tablespoon of white vinegar into a measuring glass, and then add enough milk to bring it up to one cup. Let sit and you have buttermilk! It won't be quite as thick, especially if you drink skim like we do, but it'll do in a pinch.

This is a great weeknight recipe! You probably already have everything on-hand.

Crispy Chicken Fingers

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breats halves, cut across into 1/2 inch thick slices

1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk

Cooking spray

4 cups whole-grain corn cereal such as Corn Chex or corn flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch of freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine the chicken and buttermilk in a shallow dish, turning the chicken to coat it with the buttermilk. Cover and chill for 15 minutes. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

3. Put the cereal in a sealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in the cereal to fully coat and arrange on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Leave the chicken on the baking sheets to cool slightly. The pieces will become crispier.

If you'd like homemade honey mustard sauce, simply mix 1/3 cup Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons of honey together. Enjoy!

Spinach and Cheese Strata

2010-05-08T22:06:00.000-07:00

Source: Gourmet / Epicurious

A couple of weeks ago, we had guests in town. This picture pretty much sums up our Friday night:

There may or may not have been...12 or so hours of libations involved. What can I say, when you pick up some of your favorite out-of-towners in the afternoon, the celebrations begin early!

I knew going into that weekend we'd be having some fun, and I wanted a nice brunch the next morning, but I didn't want to slave in the kitchen in the wee hours in a...compromised state. This make-ahead strata is PERFECT for such an occasion. I was able to make this a day in advance, and then pull it out of the refrigerator in the morning and pop it in the oven. Then my husband made pancakes, I made toast and bacon, and voila! you have a meal that puts out the impression you've been up with the birds, preparing a gourmet brunch!

Besides the convenience, this strata was DELICIOUS. You had me at Gruyere, strata. You had me at Gruyere.

Spinach and Cheese Strata

1 (10-oz) package frozen spinach, thawed
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion (1 large)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 cups cubed (1 inch) French or Italian bread (1/2 lb)
6 oz coarsely grated Gruyère (2 cups)
2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup)
2 3/4 cups milk
9 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1. Squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, then finely chop.

2. Cook onion in butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in spinach, then remove from heat.

3. Spread one third of bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart gratin dish or other shallow ceramic baking dish and top evenly with one third of spinach mixture. Sprinkle with one third of each cheese. Repeat layering twice (ending with cheeses).

4. Whisk together milk, eggs, mustard, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata. Chill strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 8 hours (for bread to absorb custard), or up to 1 day.

5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Let strata stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
Bake strata, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Pasta with Sauteed Mushrooms

2010-05-02T16:56:00.000-07:00

Source: Cooking for Two

There was a time I haaaaaated mushrooms. I'm still not a fan of them raw (like on pizza - yuck), but I've become quite fond of them in a sauce. I saw this recipe in my beloved "Cooking for Two" and was intrigued, since mushrooms are pretty much the main event here. As I found out when I went shopping, there's a reason shiitake mushrooms are $14 a pound. They're packed with flavor and a far cry from button mushrooms! This was a very tasty dish, and one I'll make again!

Pasta with Sauteed Mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)

4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick

6 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick

Salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 pound campanelle

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Pepper

1. Heat the oil and butter over medium heat in a 10-inch skillet until the butter is melted. Add the shallots and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, stir in the shiitake mushrooms, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the cremini mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

2. Stir the broth into the skillet and bring to a boil. scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the cream, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 4 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the pasta and 1 tablespoons salt, and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

4. Add the cooked mushrooms, sauce, Parmesan, parsley, and lemon juice to the pasta and toss to combine, adjust the sauce consistency with the reserved cooking water as desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Herb Herb Herb, Herb Herb's the Word

2010-04-18T11:28:00.000-07:00

For the longest time, whenever a recipe called for fresh herbs, I always used dried (1 tablespoon fresh = 1 teaspoon dried). The more I've used fresh herbs, the more I've realized they add so much more FLAVOR than dried. Actually, dried herbs are best in dishes like soups and stews, where they are simmering in a sauce. That's how they add the best flavor. If a recipe calls for fresh herbs thrown in at the end, the best results are ALWAYS with fresh herbs! I remember I made a recipe with dried basil because I was out of fresh one time, and I couldn't believe the difference compared to previous times. Since then I've always tried to use fresh herbs when a recipe calls for it.

The problem, of course, is herbs are EXPENSIVE. In fact, most of the time, you can buy a potted basil plant for LESS than you can buy a tiny package of basil. And since I don't cook on a daily basis, I always end up throwing the packages away.

The solution: grow your own herbs!

It's easier than it sounds. I don't have a backyard, so I can't plant them in a yard. Instead, I have two large pots where I plant 3 herbs each. This pot has oregano, thyme, and cilantro.

Oddly enough, I used to HATE cilantro. I thought it tasted like soap. Now I can't get enough!

And below I have rosemary, basil, and parsley.

And I also have mint, in its own separate pot. Mama's got have her mojitos.

Herbs are really easy to grow. I'd recommend getting a Miracle Grow potting soil or liquid fertilizer. I actually had to cut down my herbs last year because they were growing so fast! They need lots of sunshine and LOTS of water. Living in a place where it rarely rains, I have to water the plants every day. But it's SO worth it - I've definitely saved money, plus it's super convenient to just go out to our deck and snip off a few leaves when making dinner!

Crunchy Baked Pork Chops

2010-04-17T20:04:00.000-07:00

Source: Cooking for Two

First of all, I continue to be THRILLED with every recipe from this cookbook. I've bought 3 cookbooks this year, and I keep turning to this one when looking for new recipes on the weekend. It hasn't disappointed me so far. I have LOVED everything I've made!

It's been a LONG time since I've made pork chops. At one point, I mentioned them and I remember my husband saying that he hated them. But, there have been a few things he has CLAIMED he hated, until I made my version...er, rather, some cookbook or online source's version. No matter! I love pork chops and the combination of ingredients seemed like they'd be really good. Plus, I've never had pork chops with any sort of breading before.

The only thing I might change for next time is to increase the egg white/mustard/flour combo by one third. I thought there wasn't enough coating for the chops. Part of that may have been the size of my egg whites - if using normal sized eggs, add an extra egg white. Then again, I lack reading comprehension and bought bone-in pork chops.

A note about pork chops: most pork chops now, because they're very lean, are injected with a solution which is meant to increase flavor and juiciness. I prefer to buy "natural" pork, which means there are NO added ingredients. To ensure the pork is juicy, dissolve 2 tablespoons of salt in one quart of cold water and let the pork chops sit in the mixture, refrigerated, for a half an hour. The result is somewhat similar to enhanced pork, but the true pork flavor is a little better. Okay, how many freaking times have I said pork in this paragraph? Porky pork pork.

Crunchy Baked Pork Chops

2 slices high-quality white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces

1 small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Pinch dried thyme

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 large egg whites

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless center-cut pork chops, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, sides slit (slits prevent pork from curling, cut 2 slits, 2 inches apart, on one side of the chop)

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Pulse the bread in a food processor to coarse crumbs, about 8 pulses. Toss the crumbs with the shallot, garlic, oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, then spread them on on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the crumbs, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown and dry, about 15 minutes. Let the crumbs cool to room temperature and toss with Parmesan, parsley, and thyme.

2. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish. In a second shallow dish, whisk the egg whites and mustard together until combined, then whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons flour until almost smooth, with just a few pea-sized lumps. Spread the prepared bread crumbs in a third shallow dish.

3. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Spray a wire rack with vegetable oil spray and place over a rimmed baking sheet. Pat the chops dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper. (If you have previously brined the chops, season with pepper only.)

4. Using tongs, dredge the pork chops in the flour and shake off the excess. Coat the chops with the egg mixture, allowing the excess to drip off. Coat all sides of the chops with a thick layer of bread crumbs, pressing to help them adhere. Lay the breaded chops on the wire rack.

5. Bake the chops until the centers register 140 to 145 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the chops from the oven, and let rest on the rack until the centers register 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Sesame Chicken

2010-04-04T09:54:00.001-07:00

Source: Good Things Catered

I love chicken, but it's easy to get bored with it. It had been awhile since I'd made anything with Asian flavors, so I browsed through my Reader and this recipe caught my eye.

I LOVED the chicken! Garlic chili sauce (in the Asian section at your grocery store) has great flavor and kick! That, combined with the bread crumbs and sesame seeds, made for a very flavorful chicken. The noodles were flavorful, too...but just not my bag, baby. I like tahini in hummus, but I'm really not a huge fan of peanut butter in general. I think if you like those flavors, though, go for it! Next time I think I will make the noodles with the veggies and sesame seeds, and then splash on some soy sauce for flavor. Yum!

Sesame Chicken

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp sesame oil
1 heaping tablespoon Chinese garlic chili sauce
1 c. bread crumbs
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 Tbsp black sesame seeds
1 tsp olive oil

Directions:
-In medium bowl, combine chicken, sesame oil and garlic chili sauce.
-Toss to combine well and place in fridge.
-Marinate chicken for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.
-Remove from fridge when ready to cook and place a nonstick pan on stove over medium heat.
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Place olive oil into pan and heat until almost smoking.
-Meanwhile another shallow bowl, add bread crumbs, garlic powder, salt, pepper, sesame seeds and toss to combine.
-Using tongs, place chicken breast into bread crumb mixture and coat well.
-Place into hot pan and repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
-Cook until golden in color on one side, about 2-3 minutes and flip.
-Cook an additional 2-3 minutes and place pan into preheated oven.
-Bake until internal temperature of 160 is achieved (do not over cook) and remove, about 10-15 minutes.
-Place chicken on warm serving plate, let rest for at least 10 minutes and serve.

Sesame Noodles

Ingredients:
1 (8oz) package whole wheat thin spaghetti
1 large carrot, ends removed and sliced into thin matchsticks
1 heaping Tbsp tahini
1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp good quality sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
6 green onions, sliced thinly, dark green ends removed
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 c. reserved pasta water

Directions:
-Cook pasta according to package directions.
-Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine tahini, peanut butter, sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce and green onions.
-Stir to combine well and set aside.
-In last 2 minutes of cooking time, add matchstick pieces to boiling water.
-Remove 1 c. pasta water from pan and set aside.
-Drain pasta and carrots and place into large bowl along with other ingredients.
-Add 1/2 of reserved pasta water and toss to combine all ingredients.
-Add sesame seeds, let sit for 1 minute and add additional pasta water to obtain desired consistency.
-Serve warm or cold.

Garlic Cheese Bread

2010-04-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

Source: The Pioneer Woman

When we go back to Michigan, there are 2 places I absolutely HAVE to eat: Bravo Cucina Italiana, which is a chain, but makes the most A-MA-ZING chopped salmon salad (blackened salmon, field greens, tomatoes, asparagus, feta, Parmesan, and balsamic vinagrette). I also have to get pizza and three-cheese bread from Hungry Howie's. It's funny, there really aren't that many good pizza places that I've found in California, whereas Michigan is nothing BUT pizza. I love Hungry Howie's pizza, but even more I LOVE their three-cheese bread. In a line up of my favorite indulgences, it would come out number one, every time. I've tried other versions, like Domino's, but they're just not the same.

I saw this recipe and thought, "I have my dupe!" It was pretty close, but no dupe. First off, it's made on French bread, which is good, but just not the same as pizza dough. Secondly, though I typically love the taste of green onions, I did not like them in this recipe. As we've learned, I'm a carbs and cheese purist. Do NOT get in the way of my cheese flavor!

Another suggestion is do NOT refrigerate the cheese mixture. Or, refrigerate it, and then take out awhile before you're making the recipe. Similar to spreading cold butter on bread...it just doesn't work. Soften up that mixture first!

Garlic Cheese Bread

Ingredients

3-½ cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
¾ cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated (mozzarella would be a good substitution)
½ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese
½ cups (real) Mayonnaise
4 whole Green Onions, White And Light Green Parts Minced
1 dash Salt
1 loaf Crusty French Bread
1 stick Butter
4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced

Preparation Instructions

1. Mix cheeses with the mayonnaise and the green onions. Add dash of salt to taste and set aside or keep in fridge until you need it.

2. Cut loaf of bread in half, then each half into half again.

3. Working 1/4 loaf at a time, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet and add 1/4 of the minced garlic. Place 1 of the 1/4 loaves face down in the skillet, swirling it to soak up the butter and garlic. Allow bread to toast in the skillet, removing garlic if it starts to get too brown.

4. Repeat with remaining butter, garlic, and bread.

5. Spread cheese mixture on warm loaves and bake in a 425 degree oven until cheese is hot and bubbly, about 10 minutes.

6. Slice and serve. And then get on the Stairmaster. Pronto!

Tortilla Casserole

2010-03-21T18:26:00.000-07:00

Source: Cooking for Two

I continue to LOVE this cookbook by America's Test Kitchen. Everything I've tried from it has been stellar, and although I always like to have leftovers for lunches, it's nice to have a cookbook with portions for two! This recipe intrigued me since it was a casserole, but it was made and finished in one skillet. It also lacked any cream-of-anything soup, which is certainly rare! Casserole + one dish to clean = win! This was such a satisfying meal. I've never cooked with chipotle chile in adobo sauce (canned, in the Mexican section of your grocery store), and there's a reason you should only add one to two teaspoons. I stuck my finger in the can as soon as I opened it to get a taste, and immediately started choking and my eyes started burning. It's got some kick! We used one teaspoon, which was enough spice for us. If you REALLY love spicy food, add the additional teaspoon!

If you have more to serve, this could easily be doubled. Simply make the increased ingredients in a larger 12-inch skillet, and then transfer to a glass baking dish to broil.

This is great served right from the skillet, or topped with sour cream...yum!

Tortilla Casserole

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 teaspoons minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce

1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

5 ounces tortilla chips, broken into one-inch pieces (about 5 cups)

1 tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped medium

4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Adjust an oven rack to about 6 inches below the broiler unit, and heat the broiler. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, shallot, garlic, chipotle, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits.

3. Stir in half of the tortilla chips. Nestle the chicken into the broth and chips, cover, and cook over medium-low heat until the thickest part of the breast registers 160 to 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a carving board. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks.

4. Return the shredded chicken to the skillet along with the tomato, 1/2 cup of the cheese, and 1 tablespoon of the cilantro. Stir in the remaining tortilla chips until moistened.

5. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and place and skillet in the oven. Broil until golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Using potholders, remove the skillet from the oven. Let the casserole cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve.

Pizza Dough

2010-03-21T13:03:00.000-07:00

Source: The New Best Recipe

I love me some pizza, so why have I never attempted pizza dough? You got me. I turned to my trusty New Best Recipe and I wasn't disappointed! This recipe is supposed to make 3 pizza doughs, but I think I didn't let it rise long enough. I'll definitely make this again!

If only making one pizza, make the full recipe and divide into three once the dough is done rising. Place the extra dough in separate airtight containers and freeze them for up to several weeks. Defrost and stretch the dough when desired.

I used to be intimidated by yeast recipes before I bought a candy thermometer. Now, for a recipe like this, I'll keep filling up a measuring cup and checking the temperature of the water until it's at 110 degrees. It takes all the guesswork out of it!

The best way to cook the dough once you add all your toppings is on a pre-heated pizza stone. Heat the oven to 500 degrees and place the stone into the oven for at least 30 minutes. Bake in the oven for 8 - 12 minutes, until the crust edge browns and the cheese is golden brown in spots.

Pizza Dough

If you want to make the pizza dough in the morning and let rise on the counter all day, decrease the yeast to 1/2 teaspoon and let the covered dough rise at room temperature (about 68 degrees) until doubled in size, about 8 hours. You can prolong the rising time even further by refrigerating the covered dough for up to 16 hours, and then letting it rise on the counter until doubled in size, about 6 to 8 hours.

1/2 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)

1 envelope (about 2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast

1 1/4 cups water, at room temperature

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups (22 ounces) bread flour, plus more for dusting (all-purpose flour can be used, but it won't be as crisp)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Olive oil or nonstick cooking spray for oiling the bowl

1. Measure the warm water into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Sprinkle in the yeast and let stand until the yeast dissolves and swells, about 5 minutes. Add the room-temperature water and oil and stir to combine.

2. Process the flour and salt in a standing mixer (or 11 cup food processor) to combine. Continue to mix ingredients while pouring the liquid ingredients (holding back a couple of tablespoons) in with the dry ingredients. If the dough does not readily form a ball, add the remaining liquid and continue to pulse or mix until a ball forms. Process until the dough is smooth and elastic.

3. Turn out the flour and knead by hand to form a smooth round ball - or replace your paddle with a dough hook and knead the dough for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball, put it in a deep oiled bough, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Press the dough to deflate - it is now ready to use!

Pan-Seared Scallops with Lemon, Shallots, and Capers

2010-03-13T16:35:00.000-08:00

Source: The New Best Recipe

I've never had scallops before, but wanted to try these since scallops are incredibly easy to cook. Basically, get a pan hot, cook for a couple of minutes, turn over for another 30 seconds or so, and you're done! You never want to overcook scallops.

I really enjoyed these, and the sauce was a perfect accompaniment. You can't go wrong when lemon, white wine, and capers come together! If you're looking for an impressive but easy dish, this fits the bill!

Pan-Seared Scallops with Lemon, Shallots, and Capers

1 1/2 pounds sea scallops

Salt and ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 medium shallot, minced

1 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest and 1 tablespoon juice from lemon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon minced capers

Salt and ground black pepper

1. Sprinkle the scallops on both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat until hot, about 1 minute. Add half the butter and swirl to coat the pan bottom. Continue to heat the pan until the butter beings to turn golden brown.

2. Add half the scallops, one at a time, flat-side down. Cook, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent the fat from burning, until the scallops are well browned 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, turn the scallops, one at a time. Cook until medium-rare (the sides have firmed up and all but the middle third of the scallop is opaque), 30 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes longer, depending on size. Remove to a platter and cover.

3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet and saute the shallot in the fat until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and lemon zest and simmer until reduced to about 1/3 cup, 6 to 7 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the butter, parsley, lemon juice, capers, and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the scallops and serve at once.

Italian Wedding Soup

2010-03-02T19:39:00.001-08:00

Source: Giada de Laurentis

Oh, Giada. You never let me down! I picked this recipe because I'd been purchasing Healthy Choice microwaveable bowls, and while convenient, they are pretty flavorless. I love the little meatballs, though, so I wondered if I could make a better version myself.

Well, it turns out I can (copy Giada). I was a little concerned the broth would be somewhat flavorless since it's just chicken broth, some endive, and the egg/Parmesan mixture. But I thought it was VERY flavorful! I typically use ground turkey for any recipe that calls for ground meat, but I made these as stated in the recipe, and they were SO good! Make sure you use fresh parsley! I've been taking it to work for lunch all week, and I daresay it gets better as the week goes on! I may make another batch this week!

Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients

Meatballs:

1 small onion, grated
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 large egg
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 slice fresh white bread, crust trimmed, bread torn into small pieces
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
8 ounces ground beef
8 ounces ground pork
Freshly ground black pepper

Soup:

12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound curly endive, coarsely chopped (1 pound of escarole would be a good substitution)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. To make the meatballs: Stir the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese, beef and pork. Using 1 1/2 teaspoons for each, shape the meat mixture into 1-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a baking sheet.

2. To make the soup: Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and curly endive and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the curly endive is tender, about 8 minutes. Whisk the eggs and cheese in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg, about 1 minute. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Finish soup with parmesan cheese if desired.

Ganache Truffles

2010-02-21T15:30:00.000-08:00

Source: Good Things Catered

These are wonderfully rich, delicious treats. Until I saw this on Katie's blog, I had no idea I could make these at home! They take a fair amount of work and time, but they are absolutely incredible when done!

As Katie said, use a quality chocolate when making these. I used Ghiradelli, and I just don't know if I can go back to Hershey now!

The hardest part of making these was dipping them. You want enough chocolate to fully submerge the truffles, because they start to melt if you're turning them over with a knife or such. I would use more chocolate for melting, or remove the melted chocolate to a smaller glass bowl or the like before dipping.

Chocolate Ganache Truffles

1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (this ended up being 2 and 1/2 3-ounce Ghiradelli bars)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup of chocolate of choice, for dipping

1. Bring cream to a boil over medium heat in a saucepan and remove from heat. Add chocolate and vanilla and stir until completely smooth. Let rest for 15 minutes.

2. Prepare a jelly roll pan with plastic wrap. Pour the melted chocolate on the pan and spread out slightly (mixture does not have to spread out over entire pan). Place in fridge and cool overnight or up to 2 days.

3. Remove ganache from fridge. Mixture will be hardened but still pliable. Using a spoon, remove small pieces and roll into balls. (This is VERY messy as the ganache will start to melt by the heat of your hands. I would recommend surgical gloves.) Place balls on a baking sheet and put back in the fridge to cool. (I left mine in for a few days before melting the chocolate.)

4. Using a double boiler, add water to the bottom pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low so water is simmering. Add top saucepan to broiler, ensuring simmering water is NOT touching the top saucepan. (I burned my first batch of chocolate by boiling the water directly on the top pan. Whoops.) Using a fork, submerge truffle in chocolate. Remove, tapping fork on edge of saucepan and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Decorate if desired, and place in fridge to set chocolate.

Grown Up Macaroni & Cheese

2010-02-16T19:02:00.000-08:00

Source: Ina Garten

There's one dish I refuse to do low-fat and that's macaroni and cheese. Oh, how I love mac and cheese! It brings together two of my very favorite things: cheese and carbs. Yum yum yum!

This version was very good, but eating made me realize I am a mac and cheese purist. That's all I want. Macaroni and cheese. I like a nice crunchy topping, but didn't care too much for the basil or bacon. I was a little nervous about the blue cheese, since I don't typically partake (it has a metallic taste to me). However, I think it added a nice bite to the sauce. The next time I make it, I'll omit the bacon and basil, and replace one ounce of Gruyere with more extra-sharp Cheddar. Yum!

Grown Up Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed (or 1/2 cup Panko)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.

3. Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

4. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.

5. Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Linguine with Shrimp and Vegetables

2010-02-06T22:23:00.000-08:00

Source: The Food You Crave

I bought this book a few weeks back as part of my "healthy eating" initiative. I just started randomly flipping through it and this caught my eye. It's kind of a spring/summer dish, but really, I looked through the ingredients and picked it when I saw I only had one item to buy from the grocery store. I don't go by "the lazy housewife" for nothing.

Simply, this was amazing. I ate this until my stomach hurt. I licked the serving spoon before I put it in the dishwasher. This was SO GOOD, and asparagus and tomatoes aren't even in season! I think the key is all the fresh ingredients. Fresh parsley and real grated Parmesan are a MUST.

As always, I make way too many noodles. In this case, I mixed in what I thought was a reasonable amount, and put the rest in a Ziplock bag to serve with tomorrow's spaghetti. All the pasta dishes I make now are with whole-grain noodles. I really can't tell the difference, and since I tend to gorge myself on carbs, I feel a little better knowing they're good for me.

Now if I could only make myself like whole-grain bread. Blech.

Linguine with Shrimp and Vegetables

Ingredients:

3/4 box (12 ounces) linguine

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch (about 1 pound) asparagus, woody bottoms removed and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook the linguine according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and the asparagus is tender but firm, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the shrimp mixture from the pan and set aside.

3. Combine the lemon juice, wine, and reserved pasta water in the skillet over medium-high heat. Let simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half. Return the shrimp and asparagus to the pan and stir in the parsley. Add the drained linguine, tossing to combine. Add the tomatoes and toss. Sprinkle with cheese, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Top 10 Favorites of 2009

2010-02-02T18:01:00.000-08:00

Better late than never! What I love about this blog is it's really forced me expand my repertoire in the kitchen. Pre-blog, I had some good recipes, but having to post made me try new things and learn new techniques. I know so much more now and am looking forward to continuing to learn!

Beef Bourguignon

Although I normally don't think of stew as "decadent," this was so tender and flavorful. A definite treat!

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

This was our part of our Thanksgiving dinner, but it was so tender I'll make this throughout the year!

Pan-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

This was zesty, delicious, and perfect for two!

Louisiana Chicken Pasta

This was a total surprise to me. I knew it would be good, but I had no idea HOW good when making it! This is a must-try.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

I've made a few different versions of shrimp scampi. This is my favorite!

Chicken Scallopine

Be still my heart. This combination of heavy cream, white wine, mushrooms and capers is TO DIE FOR.

Wilted Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

Please try this. You won't regret it.

Seven Layer Taco Dip

This is my go-to dish to bring to parties. People LOVE it! It's pretty easy to put together and always a crowd-pleaser.

Roasted Garlic Bread

This garlic bread version takes a little longer due to roasting the garlic cloves, but it's SO worth it.

Sauteed Mushrooms

On special occasions I like to cook filets, and these mushrooms are the perfect side dish.

Thanks for following!

Miso Soup and Edamame

2010-01-31T12:34:00.001-08:00

I've grown to love sushi. Back when I was living in the midwest, I never really had a hankering to try it. Of course, I didn't really know anything about it, but my thoughts ran along the line of, "Raw fish? People eat it? And enjoy it? Okay, keep on keepin' on, crazies."

In any case, that changed when we visited some sushi-loving friends in Toronto. They convinced us to try a bento box, a combination of salad, rice, teriyaki chicken, and a few California rolls. It was then I discovered I LOVE rolls. I still can't quite get myself to like sashimi, but I guess you can't win them all.

A sushi dinner is not complete without a helping of delicious miso soup and edamame. I need something warm to eat at dinner to really feel full, and edamame is a healthy and filling appetizer. I like to make this combination for lunch.

Fun fact: in Japan, miso soup and white rice are a traditional breakfast!

If you're going to make miso soup, though, you absolutely need two things: miso paste and dashi granules. I've never found these at my regular supermarket. I'm fortunate enough to live close to several Asian markets, which I would highly suggest visiting! Not only can you get the ingredients you need, but I just love strolling down the aisles and checking out the different Asian fare.

I prefer to use "firm" tofu, instead of silken tofu.

Yummy salted seaweed. Miso soup is salty enough, so I rinsed the seaweed and chopped it up.

Edamame is fun to eat. You lightly bite down on the pod until the beans squeeze out in your mouth, and then discard the pod. I've always purchased frozen packages, and then boiled the beans for 5-6 minutes. Let cool and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Miso soup can easily be altered to your taste. I've seen other recipes that had shiitake mushrooms, or used vegetable or chicken broth. Before I found this recipe, I used to eat a pre-made version that had udon noodles in it.

Miso Soup and Edamame

Source: All Recipes

INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons dashi granules
4 cups water
3 tablespoons miso paste
1 (8 ounce) package silken tofu, diced
2 green onions, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine dashi granules and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and whisk in the miso paste. Stir in tofu. Separate the layers of the green onions, and add them to the soup. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

To make the edamame:

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil (6 for an entire package). Add 1/4 to 1/2 salt if desired. Add edamame and cook for 5-6 minutes. Drain and allow to cool. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Black-Bean Enchilada Casserole

2010-01-30T21:23:00.000-08:00

Source: Cooking Light

I kept hearing about this recipe, so I finally caved in and made it. It was very tasty and easy! I was a little scared chopping up the jalapeno pepper that it would be too spicy, but I found it to be just enough spice for us. Instead of red enchilada sauce, I used medium-spiced green verdes enchilada sauce. It's essential that corn tortillas are used - flour tortillas will get soggy. This was quick, healthy, and I love that we have some leftovers, too!

Black-Bean Enchilada Casserole

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, divided

1 cup cooked brown basmati rice or long-grain rice
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (19-ounce) can red enchilada sauce
Cooking spray
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine 1/2 cup cheese, rice, and the next 7 ingredients (rice through jalapeño) in a large bowl. Spread 1/4 cup enchilada sauce in bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Heat remaining enchilada sauce in a skillet for 2 minutes or until warm, and remove from heat. Dredge both sides of 6 tortillas in warm enchilada sauce, and arrange tortillas, overlapping, over sauce in baking dish. Top with 1 3/4 cups bean mixture. Dredge both sides of remaining tortillas in warm enchilada sauce, and arrange tortillas, overlapping, over bean mixture. Top with the remaining bean mixture, remaining enchilada sauce, and 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until bubbly.

Lighten Up (Gruyere, Arugula and Prosciutto-Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Carmelized Shallot Sauce)

2010-01-24T18:34:00.001-08:00

One of my goals this year has been to eat healthier. Now, I've never met a recipe with a stick of butter or a cup of heavy cream that didn't make me go weak in the knees. But it's pretty easy to have delicious food when you're only cooking with fatty ingredients. So I'm branching out this year. I am now in possession of the Cooking Light Complete Cookbook and The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger. I'm enjoying going through these books, particularly the Ellie Krieger one. She has a very healthy approach to eating, as well as some very tasty looking recipes. Expect to see quite a few here in the future!

This recipe, from the previously mentioned Cooking Light cookbook, caught my eye. Maybe it's because it's quite possibly the longest recipe name I've ever encountered. Maybe it's because I have an undying love for Gruyere cheese. Whatever the case might be, this was my first recipe from my new cookbook!

The recipe suggested stuffing the chicken in advance. I did the morning I made this for dinner, and it worked out perfectly. It breaks up the recipe and makes the rest of the recipe that much easier.

Now for the verdict: I was blown away by how amazing this was, and how low in fat, too! The combination of gruyere, arugula and prosciutto was delicious, and the sauce added that little something extra. We both devoured this! I can't wait to make it again!

I bought an entire bag of arugula, so I used the rest by tossing the extra with diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, and a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add some fresh-grated Parmesan cheese and homemade croutons and you have a gourmet meal!

I don't have a large nonstick pan, so I just used my stainless steel All Clad. I think it turned out a little tastier because I was able to scrape up the brown bits from the chicken when I added the wine into the pan. Yum! I would put this in my top 5 chicken recipes!

Gruyere, Arulua, and Prosciutto-Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Carmelized Shallot Sauce

Source: Cooking Light Complete Cookbook

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Chicken:

6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

6 (1/2 ounce) slices prosciutto

6 (1/2 ounce) slices Gruyere cheese

1 1/2 cups trimmed arugula

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

Carmelized Shallot Sauce:

1 cup thinly sliced shallots

2 teaspoons tomato paste

2 cups dry white wine

2 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons water

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. To prepare chicken, place each breast half between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Discard plastic wrap. Top each half with 1 slice prosciutto, 1 slice cheese, and 1/4 cup arugula, leave a 1/4-inch border around edges. Fold in half, pinching edges together to seal, sprinkle with salt and pepper. (Chicken can be prepared up to a day ahead, and refrigerated).

3. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, cook 5 minutes on each side. Place chicken in shallow baking pan, bake at 350 for 5 minutes or until done. Turn off oven and leave in until sauce is ready.

4. To prepare sauce, add shallots to skillet and saute 4 minutes over medium-high heat or until browned. Add tomato paste, cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to 1 cup, about 6 minutes. Add broth, bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half, about 8 minutes.

5. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl, stir with a fork or whisk until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to sauce and bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove chicken breasts from oven and plate them; top with at least 1/4 cup sauce. Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2010-01-18T08:54:00.000-08:00

Source: Tasty Kitchen

I love appetizers. Sometimes I'll order a few appetizers in lieu of an entree. A few years ago, my favorite meal was the 3 For All at Friday's, with the potstickers, mozzarella sticks, and potato skins. Yum. I will take any excuse to make an appetizer, and being that I was hosting a gathering yesterday, these fit the bill!

I cannot think of an easier recipe to make. I bought frozen turkey meatballs. In the future, I'll look for smaller meatballs so there are more servings (plus smaller food is cuter!!!), but in any case, this will take you all of 5 minutes to put together. Once the meatballs had been cooked through, I put them in my crockpot on low to keep them warm. Delicious!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Ingredients

1 pound Frozen, Pre-made Meatballs
½ cups Onion, Chopped
¾ jars Heinz Chili Sauce
⅓ cups Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch, Whisked Into 1/2 Cup Water
Ground Black Pepper
2-½ Tablespoons Rice Vinegar Or Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

1. Mix all ingredients and let simmer over medium-low heat until onions are soft and meatballs are cooked through.

(If these are too zingy and not sweet enough for you, try adding a little pineapple juice or ketchup to the sauce.)

Brie Stuffed Mushrooms

2010-01-17T22:38:00.000-08:00

Source: The Pioneer Woman

I used to HAAAAATE mushrooms. That may be because my exposure to them was either raw, or on top of pizza. Ew. I have come to love mushrooms now. I think of them as little flavor sponges, soaking up the flavor of any recipe they're in. Yum!

Stuffed mushrooms are even more fun! These were a snap to prepare. I made these in a glass baking dish, and some of the juices from the mushrooms collected on the bottom while in the oven - I may try baking on a cookie pan or something similar next time to see if the juices cook off. Additionally, I broiled for a few minutes to crisp up the tops. These were delicious, and I'll be making them again!

Brie Stuffed Mushrooms

1 package White Button Mushrooms, Washed And Stems Removed
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
¼ cups Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
4 whole (to 5) Green Onions, Sliced (up To Middle Of Dark Green Part)
Splash Of White Wine (optional)
1 slice (wedge) Of Brie Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt butter in large saucepan. Add mushroom caps and toss to coat in butter. Sprinkle lightly with salt and cook for 1 minute. Remove mushrooms from pan and place upside down in a baking dish.

3. In the same saucepan (without cleaning it) throw in garlic, parsley, and green onions. Sprinkle very lightly with salt and splash in wine, if using. Stir around until wine evaporates, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

4. Cut rind off of brie wedge, then cut pieces of brie to fit each mushroom cap. Place inside, lightly pressing to anchor each piece of brie.

5. Top mushrooms with parsley/garlic mixture.

6. Place into the oven for 15 minutes, or until brie is melted. Broil for a few minutes if desired. Mushrooms are best when allowed to cool slightly.

Beef Bourguignon

2009-12-22T18:51:00.000-08:00

Source: Ina Garten

My husband and I recently went to Vegas and had a fabulous meal at Mon Ami Gabi at the Paris hotel. The entire meal was amazing, but in particular, their beef bourguignon blew my mind. It was so tender, so flavorful, so incredible. It took everything in me to not lick the plate! I have been thinking about this dish since then, and decided to give this version a go.

To summarize, THIS IS MY FAVORITE RECIPE THIS YEAR. I repeat, THIS IS MY FAVORITE RECIPE THIS YEAR!

I don't mean to yell at you, really. But this is so fantastic and so special. I want to shout it from the rooftops. "I LOVE YOUR BEEF BOURGUIGNON, INA!"

The revisions I made were using brandy instead of cognac, and using turkey bacon instead of real bacon. It goes without saying this isn't a Weight Watchers meal. A lot of reviewers on the Food Network suggested things like letting the stew cool and skimming off the fat, using turkey bacon, and using a cornstarch slurry instead of the butter/flour mixture. But I say, what the hell. As long as you're not eating this EVERY day, you'll be fine.

If using turkey bacon, note it won't render as much fat as regular bacon. Adjust the heat in the pan as necessary.

I also left the pot in the oven for 2 hours. My suggestion would be to check on it after the recommended time, and then check every half hour until the meat is as tender as you'd like it.

We added in the pearl onions at the end, but I think next time we may leave them out. Neither of us ate them.

Instead of the bread, I made egg noodles as the stew was simmering the last 15 minutes, and then tossed them with a bit of butter and fresh minced parsley. Yum!

Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients

1 tablespoon good olive oil
8 ounces dry cured center cut applewood smoked bacon, diced
2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 cup Cognac
1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine such as Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir (I used a Pinot)
1 can (2 cups) beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound frozen whole pearl onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

For serving:
Country bread or Sour Dough, toasted or grilled and rubbed with garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

3. Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

4. Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

5. Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.

6. To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.

Herb-Rubbed Grilled Chicken with Orzo

2009-12-12T14:47:00.000-08:00

Source: Annie's Eats

I'm always looking for a new, easy chicken recipe. I love chicken - it's lean, easy to cook with, and I always have some! This recipe was simple and quite good!

Just last week my husband mentioned, "I never thought you would really COOK when I met you." That's true, I never used to actually make dinners! Throughout the years, I've been cooking more and more, and actually learning along the way. I've always said I can READ a recipe, but I really can't create anything new. The reason I bring up all this when I ate this recipe I thought, "Hmmm...I think some crushed tomatoes would be really good instead of the diced tomatoes, and maybe a little bit of white wine." It's kind of cool to me I'm getting to the point where I can actually TASTE something and think about how I could change it :)

Herb-Rubbed Grilled Chicken with Orzo

8 oz. orzo pasta, uncooked
2 chicken breasts, butterflied into halves (4 pieces total)
Salt and pepper
2 tsp. Herbes de Provence
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
2 cups broccoli florets
½ cup heavy cream
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Bring a saucepan of salted water to boil. Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.

2. Season both sides of the chicken breast halves with salt and pepper. Sprinkle evenly with the Herbes de Provence. Heat the olive oil in a 12- or 14-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breast halves to the pan and cook about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallot to the pan and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté an additional minute, until fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes with juices and the broccoli florets to the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer over medium-low. Add the chicken breasts and any accumulated juices back into the pan. Cover and let cook until the broccoli florets are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir in the cooked orzo, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Mix until well blended and the cheese has melted. If necessary, add some of the reserved pasta water to smooth out the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Chicken Stew

2009-12-06T15:20:00.000-08:00

Source: Elly Says Opa

This is one of those great, use-it-up recipes. You can toss pretty much ANYTHING from your fridge in this stew. Also, take out the potatoes and add noodles and you have a simple chicken soup recipe!

Chicken Stew

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 pound chicken breast, cut into 1″ pieces
1/2 onion, diced
1 carrot, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
4 oz. white or crimini mushrooms
1/2 lb. baby redskin potatoes, halved (skin-on)
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
corn starch slurry (optional)

1. In a smallish stockpot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the chicken pieces, just to brown, and then remove them. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Stir in the carrots, celery and garlic until the garlic is just fragrant, about a minute.

2. Pour the wine into the pot to deglaze, being sure to get the browned chicken bits off the bottom of the pot. Reduce the wine slightly over medium high heat.

3. Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, potatoes, chicken, mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer until potatoes are fork tender and chicken is cooked through.

If you want, add a corn starch slurry at this point and boil about a minute uncovered.

Stir in the peas and serve.

Leftover Turkey Tips

2009-11-24T12:31:00.000-08:00

Source: Ellen's Kitchen

Almost as good as Thanksgiving itself are the LEFTOVERS! I just LOVE leftovers! Having a ton of delicious food for days afterwards makes all the work of the meal completely worth it.

When it comes to reheating turkey and gravy, you can go the easy route (the microwave), or occassionally, if I'm not completely starving, I'll heat up the turkey in the oven and the gravy in a saucepan. To reheat in an oven, spread out turkey in a single layer, sprinkle with juices or water, and heat for 30-45 minutes in a 350 degree oven, or to a minimum temperature of 165 degrees. Bring the gravy to a boil on the stovetop.

If you have leftovers in excess of 3 days, freeze the turkey and the gravy. If there's a lot, I try to separate into a few batches so I can take out a little turkey and gravy at a time. The turkey tastes best if used within 2 months.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Fresh Corn with Wild Rice

2009-11-22T08:25:00.000-08:00

Source: The Pioneer Woman

I messed up this dish a few different ways, but I'm still posting it because I think it was still good, and would still be delicious had I followed the instructions! I

1. Bought the wrong kind of rice (black rice instead of wild rice)
2. Overcooked the rice
3. Then added an extra cup of rice to the dish than what the recipe called for, so the corn to rice ratio was off. The rice I bought probably ended up cooking 5 cups of rice once it was done. I'm lucky I didn't put the WHOLE thing in there!

But it was still good! I really will make this again.

Fresh Corn with Wild Rice

Ingredients

2 cups Cooked Wild Rice
4 cups Chicken Broth
3 cups (to 4 Cups) Fresh Corn Kernels (scraped Off The Cob or from frozen)
1 cup Heavy Cream
6 Tablespoons Butter, sliced into 1 tablespoon pieces
2 whole Eggs, Beaten
1 teaspoon (to 2 Teaspoons) Kosher Salt (or Table Salt To Taste)
Cayenne Pepper To Taste (I used 1/4 teaspoon and it was pretty spicy!)
½ cups (to 1 Cup) Milk, For Thinning

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cook wild rice in chicken broth until almost done. Rice should still have a firm (but not crunchy) bite. Drain rice and allow to cool.

3. Scrape corn kernels into a large mixing bowl. Add in cream, butter, beaten eggs, salt and cayenne pepper. Stir together.

4. Add in 2 cups of cooled wild rice, stirring gently. Splash in milk so that mixture is stirrable, but not overly juicy.

5. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt or cayenne pepper if needed.

6. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until just turning golden brown on top and the mixture is somewhat set.

Easy Turkey Gravy

2009-11-22T08:24:00.000-08:00

Source: All Recipes

What's Thanksgiving dinner without gravy? I actually had not thought about gravy until I'd started the meal, but fortunately found this quick recipe. This was SO easy and super yummy! To save time, I placed the cream of chicken soup and spices in a saucepan WELL ahead of time, as well as pre-measured the milk and flour. As it turned out, the 7 pound Slow Cooker Turkey Breast I made produced EXACTLY 2 and 1/2 cups of drippings. If you're making a larger turkey, look to the original recipe for increased proportions.

Easy Turkey Gravy

2-1/2 cups turkey stock with pan drippings
1/2 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1. Bring the turkey stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in soup, and season with poultry seasoning, pepper, seasoned salt, and garlic powder. Reduce heat to low, and let simmer.

2. Warm the milk in the microwave (about 30 seconds), and whisk in the flour until there are no lumps. Return the gravy to a boil, and gradually stir in the milk mixture. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Be careful not to let the bottom scorch.

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

2009-11-21T22:59:00.000-08:00

Source: All Recipes

As far as I'm concerned, f#$*& 2009.

It's been a tough year for a lot of people I know. I know the economy's affected too many people. Career-wise, my husband started his own company, which is very exciting, but challenging. I've seen a lot of challenges of my own this year.

We've attended both family celebrations and funerals. Unfortunately this year will always be defined as the year my brother passed away, completely unexpectedly. So I think you can understand when I saw f#$*& 2009.

With all this madness going on, the one thing my husband and I have NOT done is take time away, together, alone. Being on a vacation together with no expectations on our time is SO important, and I'm very happy we'll be going to Las Vegas over Thanksgiving! While it may be untraditional, we love that we can either live in up in Vegas, or hang out at our hotel and talk. We're not big gamblers, it's just nice to be away and have a million entertainment options at our fingertips. I'm SO looking forward to it.

That being said, although we'll likely indulge in a buffet for Thanksgiving dinner, was I content to leave Thanksgiving dinner to Vegas? Noooo, I had to make one for ourselves this weekend! It was a very simple dinner, with just a few sides, but enough to leave us both satisfied.

This recipe popped up in my email, and before this, I had NO idea you could JUST cook a turkey breast, instead of a whole turkey. AND you could cook it in a slow cooker? Well, sign me up! This was AMAZING, fall-off-the-bone delicious. 7 pounds is a LOT between 2 people, but my favorite part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers! This will become a tradition in our house.

One note: I bought this this morning, frozen. I had planned to come home and pop it in the slow cooker, forgetting that grocery stores often freeze turkey breasts. The solution was to put in in a sink of cold water for about an hour and a half, turning every 20 minutes. I ran some cold water over the still-frozen parts after I unwrapped it for a few minutes. Much quicker than letting it thaw in the fridge!

I utilized a lot of reviewer comments, so use this version if you'd like to make it!

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

1 6-7 pound bone-in turkey breast

3 celery stalks, chopped

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 garlic clove, minced

1 packet dry onion soup mix

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1. Add celery, onion, garlic and chicken broth to the bottom of a slow cooker.

2. Mix dried herbs. Rub all over, inside, and under turkey skin. Rub onion soup mix over and under turkey skin. Rub minced garlic clove over turkey. Place in slow cooker and drizzle with melted butter.

3. Cook in slow cooker high for 3 hours and low for 4 hours. Enjoy!

Pan-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

2009-11-14T20:03:00.000-08:00

Source: Cooking for Two

I recently received an AMAZING cookbook for my birthday. Like most other bloggers, about 90% of the recipes I try are from other blogs, which may also end up being from cookbooks. There's just so much out there it's hard for me to justify a new cookbook purchase. However, this was sent to me by my wonderful cousin Christine, and I couldn't be more thrilled. If you are cooking for 2 people, you have to get this book! Not only is it filled with delicious recipes, but all the little tips really make it great, too. For instance, there's an ingredient index which will list ingredients, like asparagus, and then all the recipes that use asparagus, so you don't have to throw away food. There are also small boxes called "Use it Up" throughout the book that feature quick little recipes to use up key ingredients, and lots of great tips throughout the book. For instance, I learned I can keep iceberg lettuce good for up to 2 weeks by wrapping in moist paper towels and then storing in a plastic shopping bag. If you're cooking for 2, you need this book!

Anyway, this is the very first recipe I've made and it's OUT OF THIS WORLD delicious and simple. I've always been a fan of pan-frying chicken and then placing in the oven to finish up. This was amazingly flavorful. The olive oil/lemon sauce added at the very end gave it an extra little kick, too.

Pan-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

8 ounces small red potatoes (about 3), cut into wedges

4 ounces baby carrots (about 14)

3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 (12-ounce) bone-in, skin-on split chicken breasts, trimmed and brined if desired (to brine, dissolve 1/4 cup salt in 1 quart cold water and brine for 30 minutes)

2 shallots, peeled and quartered

4 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

Pinch red pepper flakes

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Toss the potatoes and carrots with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high, uncovered, until the vegetables soften but still hold their shape, about 5 minutes, gently stirring once during cooking.

2. Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper (pepper only if you've brined the chicken). Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Carefully lay the chicken breasts, skin-side down, in the skillet and cook until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue to brown light on the second side, about 3 minutes.

3. Remove the chicken from the pan, add the shallots and microwaved vegetables, then place the chicken, skin-side up, on top of the vegetables. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the thickest part of the breast registers 160 to 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Using potholders, remove the skillet from the oven. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a serving platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, and pepper flakes together in a small bowl, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the oil-lemon mixture over the chicken and vegetables before serving.

Dinner party

2009-11-13T19:44:00.000-08:00

If there's one word I can use it describe me in the kitchen, it would be flustered. Though I should know better, I frequently don't read recipes carefully enough and am scrambling for ingredients halfway through the recipe. Add in multiple dishes, and while everything gets done in the end, it looks like a bomb went off in the kitchen, and I'm usually so stressed out I can't enjoy the meal.

We had friends over for dinner recently, and I wanted to make something special, but at the same time, I was determined to not be a mess through the whole process. So I thought through the dishes and how I wanted to prepare for the meal, and I'm happy to say everything went off with aplomb! For anyone else considering hosting a dinner party who's also organizationally challenged, I laid out how I went about the process. I hope it helps.

The menu:

Garlic Rosemary Roast Chicken with Potatoes - this is a GREAT company dish because not only is the chicken FAAAAAAABULOUS, but it's really 2 dishes in one! Red potato wedges roast below the chicken as it's cooking. MMMMMM!

Pioneer Woman's Whiskey-Glazed Carrots - these are just so, so tasty. I eat your carrots! I EAT THEM UP!
Green Salad
Bread (baguette from the grocery store)
Apple Crisp
Not really part of dinner, but we made what I call the Lazy Man's Mojito. It's a slushy mixture of vodka, mint leaves, and limeade. Seriously delicious.

The night before:

Brine the chicken. Once complete, pat dry and place on a plate and put back in the fridge. The next day, make sure to turn it over so the entire surface of the chicken has a chance to dry.

The morning of:

Chop the carrots. Place in a bowl or large plastic bag and refrigerate.
Cut the potatoes. Place in a bowl and refrigerate.

Around 3:30:

Set out butter in butter dish to soften.
Place remaining ingredients that go with potatoes per the recipe in the bowl (garlic cloves, olive oil, salt and pepper). Set aside.
Prepare garlic-rosemary paste. Insert under chicken skin. Brush chicken with olive oil and pepper.
Take out roasting pan and lightly spray rack. Place prepared chicken on rack and set aside (or refrigerate if it's too early to put in the oven).
Pre-measure brown sugar and whiskey for whiskey-glazed carrots. Place beside stove.
Make green salad and refrigerate.
Peel and slice apples and place in dish. Cream together sugar, butter and cinnamon. Cover dish with apples and set aside creamed mixture, as well as a 1/2 cup measuring cup.
Slice bread and set aside.
Clean kitchen so it doesn't look like a disaster zone.

Now, the chicken takes about an hour to cook. Our guests were going to be in at about 5:30, and I wanted to have everything done by 6:00. So I put the chicken in at 4:50. If you've done a lot of prep by that point, you may not have much to do other than clean up a bit. I did peel and slice the apples while the chicken was cooking, although it does need attention since it has to be turned. I also used that time to set the table, get out napkins, dinnerware, glasses, etc., as well as pull out serving plates.

Twenty minutes before the chicken was done, I started the carrots. Although I long for a kitchen with 2 ovens, I only have one, so I thought it best to have one dish in the oven, and another on the stove. The whiskey-glazed carrot recipe is VERY easy and having pre-measured the whiskey and sugar makes it that much simpler. It should be done about the same time the chicken is done. Make sure to cover while you're letting the chicken rest before carving it - the carrots were a little cool when we finally all sat down.

As for dessert, after we had been eating for around 45 minutes, I poured the butter/sugar mixture on top of the apples, as well as the water, and popped in the oven for 50 minutes. They were absolutely delicious a la mode!

By planning everything out in advance, I was actually quite calm and able to enjoy dinner with my guests!

Apple Crisp

2009-11-11T16:58:00.001-08:00

Source: All Recipes

We recently hosted some friends for dinner and I went ALL out: roasted chicken, whiskey-glazed carrots, and roasted potatoes were on the menu! I wanted to make dessert but being with all the work I had already put in the kitchen, it had to be a no-brainer. This recipe was. I sliced all the apples ahead of time, as well as creamed the sugar/butter/cinnamon mixture. After we had been eating dinner for about 45 minutes, I poured the water on top of the apples, added the creamed mixture, and popped it into the oven. It came out crispy on top and the apples were so tender and sweet! My husband looked at me accusingly as we were eating it and said, "WHY haven't you ever made this before?" I guess that means it's good!

One note - the dish was a little watery at the bottom. I served with a slotted spoon, so it didn't impact the dish. But I might suggest halving the water added to the apples.

Apple Crisp

4 cups sliced apples

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.

2.Place apples in prepared. Pour water over all. In a bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Blend in flour and cinnamon. Sprinkle mixture evenly over apples.

3.Bake in preheated oven 45 to 50 minutes, until apples are tender and crust is golden.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

2009-11-01T20:18:00.001-08:00

Adapted from: All Recipes

This was one recipe where the reviewers suggested a LOT of changes, and I'm glad I took them into account. The result was an incredibly rich chicken and rice soup that was SO filling. I just love making dishes like this not only because it's fall, but because I get to take the leftovers to work! This is comfort food at its finest! The next time I make this, I think I'll switch to wild rice just because I love the taste of it.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

Serves 8

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts

Olive oil

Butter

1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 1/2 cups chopped carrots

2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked brown rice
3 1/4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup sherry
1 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk, divided
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Salt and pepper the chicken breasts. Melt approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil and butter each in a skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken breasts until done, turning once, about 5 minutes each side. Set aside and let cool.

2. Add additional butter and olive oil to the pan. Add celery, onions, carrots, and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent, scraping the bottom of the pan for browned bits.

3. In a stockpot over high heat, add vegetable mixture, chicken, and rice and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Slowly add the flour, stirring often, to make a roux. Add 4 cups of milk, 1/2 cup at a time, while constantly stirring. Add this and the chicken to the rice mixture and return the rice mixture to the stovetop over low heat.
(If the soup seems too thick, add some or all of the remaining 2 cups of milk.) Season with salt and pepper to taste and allow to simmer for at least an hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Tasty Talapia

2009-10-12T10:48:00.001-07:00

Source: Delish

This is an extremely simple way to prepare fish, and it's probably a good spice mixture for chicken, too! I used halibut filets, which are a little thicker, so I needed additional cooking time on the stovetop. This is a great recipe for a weeknight dinner!

Tasty Tilapia

1 1/2 lbs tilapia fillets
2 tsp low-sodium cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp butter or olive oil*

Combine cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, dried parsley, crushed red pepper, garlic and onion powder. Evenly season fish on both sides. Melt butter (or heat olive oil) in large skillet over medium heat. Add fish. Brown each side approximately 3-4 minutes per side (tilapia cooks quickly). Adjust cooking temperature if needed. Serve hot.

Roasted Garlic and New Potatoes

2009-10-12T10:29:00.000-07:00

Source: The Pioneer Woman

After eating these, my husband said, "All other potatoes are dead to me." Enough said! These are delicious and easy to prepare. I didn't use quite as many garlic heads as the recipe called for. Roasted garlic is very mild, but the garlic heads are piping hot when they come out of the oven, so you have to wait awhile to squeeze out the garlic cloves if you want to mix them in with the potatoes. You could also serve dinner with a baguette and spread the roasted garlic on the bread. Yum!

Roasted Garlic & New Potatoes

20 small to medium new potatoes
5 to 7 whole heads of garlic
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 to 1/2 cup dry white wine
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Quarter new potatoes and set on a large rimmed baking sheet. Lop off the very top of each garlic head and arrange throughout the potatoes. Drizzle olive oil over the tops of the garlic and all over potatoes; do the same with the wine. Generously salt and pepper potatoes and garlic. Toss potatoes to coat. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 20 to 30 minutes until nice and golden.

Rolled Flank Steak

2009-10-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

Source: All Recipes

For some reason, I can't just enjoy a steak. I need a sauce or other ingredients to make me like it. I was browsing All Recipes and this looked really good, and totally different from the way I've made steak before.

I really liked this, but...I think I may have rolled it the wrong way. I started rolling it at the shorter end, which meant the roll was pretty thick. This meant the meat on the outside was done, but in the middle, it was rare! Were I to make it again, I would try rolling it the other way, and I would also check the doneness halfway through, possibly slicing the roll in sections. Because of the way it's rolled, it's really difficult to use a meat thermometer.

I really loved the well-done pieces I ate, though! The combination of provolone, spinach, mushrooms and peppers was divine!

Rolled Flank Stak

INGREDIENTS:

1 (2 pound) beef flank steak
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons steak seasoning
8 ounces thinly sliced provolone cheese
4 slices thick cut bacon
1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup sliced crimini mushrooms
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the flank steak on a cutting board with the short end closest to you. Starting from one of the long sides, cut through the meat horizontally to within 1/2 inch of the opposite edge. (You can also ask your butcher to butterfly the flank steak for you instead of cutting it yourself.)

2. Mix the soy sauce, olive oil, and steak seasoning together in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag. Marinate flank steak in the refrigerator 2 - 4 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a glass baking dish.

4. Lay out the flank steak flat in front of you with the grain of the meat running from left to right. Layer the provolone across the steak, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange the bacon, spinach, red pepper, and mushrooms across the cheese covered steak in stripes running in the same direction as the grain of the meat. Roll the flank steak up and away from you, so that when the roll is cut into the pinwheel shape, each of the filling ingredients can be seen. Roll firmly, but be careful not to squeeze the fillings out the ends. Once rolled, tie every 2 inches with kitchen twine. (I didn't use any twine, just placed the roll in the dish seam-side down.)

5. Place in prepared baking dish, and bake in preheated oven for one hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F (65 degrees C). Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into 1 inch slices. Be sure to remove the twine before serving!

Louisana Chicken Pasta

2009-09-28T20:50:00.000-07:00

Source: Annie's Eats

MY OH MY WAS THIS AMAZING. I mean, you can't go wrong with excessive amounts of cream, but this dish really surprised me. The cream combined with the sweetness of the peppers and the spiciness of the Creole seasoning really made it special. This dish is one of my favorites this year!

I didn't have Cajun seasoning on hand, only Creole, and this does make a difference. I sprinkled a little extra on top of the finished dish, and then thought, "Why is it so salty?" Well, because Creole seasoning has salt in it! If you're using Creole seasoning, make sure to cut back on the added salt. If you don't have Cajun seasoning on hand, All Recipes has the combination for Simple Cajun Seasoning. The only other change I think I'd make is to add in a clove of minced garlic with the onions and peppers instead of the garlic powder.

In any case, this is absolutely INCREDIBLE! My husband and I both gobbled it up! Thanks, Annie!

Louisana Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

For the chicken:
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
Salt and pepper
Cajun seasoning

For the pasta:
8 oz. bowtie pasta
Kosher salt

For the sauce:
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. water
3 scallions, chopped

Directions:

To cook the chicken, heat a small amount of butter or olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and a generous sprinkle of Cajun seasoning. Add to the skillet and cook until lightly browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain the cooked pasta and set aside.

Meanwhile, return the skillet to medium heat and heat the butter and olive oil until the butter has melted. Add the bell peppers and onion to the pan. Mix in the salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning and cayenne pepper. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add the half-and-half and heavy cream to the pan and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water, and add to the skillet once the cream mixture has started to bubble. Allow to cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.

When the sauce has thickened, add the cooked pasta and chicken pieces to the pan. Stir well to combine and cook at medium-low heat just until the chicken is warmed through. Adjust the amount of Cajun seasoning if necessary to suit your tastes. Stir in the scallions. Serve immediately and top with additional Cajun seasoning, if desired.

Annie's Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

2009-09-27T15:06:00.000-07:00

Adapted from: All Recipes

This is a very tasty appetizer, and one of my favorite dishes to bring to a party! I love the variation from chips and salsa. I always use a food processor, which makes the process that much quicker. I also skip making my own cinnamon chips and just buy a few bags from Trader Joe's. I've made the chips before, and it is SO worth it to just buy them! Another step that makes this recipe simple and delicious!

Annie's Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

INGREDIENTS:

2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored
and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
3 tablespoons apricot fruit preserves

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
2 cups cinnamon sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.

2.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

3.Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.

4.Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

Taco Salad

2009-08-29T18:36:00.001-07:00

Source: All Recipes

This recipe is so embarrassingly easy it's almost...well, embarrassing to post it. But we all need super-easy recipes for those nights we're feeling lazy! This is also one of my husband's favorites, as it may be. Of course, something that takes me 15 minutes is his favorite! Sheesh.

The original recipe calls for French dressing in the meat/bean mixture, which I skipped. Reviewers on All Recipes also suggested Catalina dressing and using Doritos instead of plain tortilla chips. The recipe also calls for mixing EVERYTHING. I prefer to layer it, trying to save the salad will mean you have soggy chips the next day. Layering it allows me to save extra salad, meat, etc., separately. This recipe is very versatile, so change it up as you like!

Taco Salad

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (16 ounce) bottle French dressing or Catalina dressing (optional)
1 head iceberg lettuce
1 (14.5 ounce) package tortilla chips
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped tomatoes
4 tablespoons sour cream (optional)
1/2 cup prepared salsa (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and drain excess fat. Stir in the taco seasoning, chili beans and French-style dressing. Fill the dressing bottle 2/3 full of water and add to the skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Crush the bag of chips. Layer crushed chips on individual plates, then top with lettuce mixture. Top with meat mixture, and add sour cream or salsa if desired. Enjoy!

Bacon-wrapped Jalapenos

2009-08-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

Source: The Pioneer Woman

Hmmm. The jury is kind of out on these. Now, I like a little bit of spiciness in my food, but too much, and I feel it kills the taste of the rest of the dish (or appetizer, if you will). I felt that was the case with these, and you're thinking, Hey. The word "jalapeno" is in the title of the recipe. How stupid are you? Well, pretty stupid, I suppose. In reading PW's instruction, she said to clean out the jalapenos pretty good so they weren't too spicy. I cleaned those suckers out, and STILL they were pretty hot. However, I've seen nothing but raves for this recipe, so if you like it hot, go for it!

The recipe is fairly simple, all you need is package of bacon, a bunch of jalapenos, and a block of cream cheese. And toothpicks. And latex gloves. Make SURE to get the latex gloves! The process of cutting and scooping out 45 odd jalapenos, I have heard, will leave your hands tingling in pain. My hands were tingle-free!

Bacon-wrapped Jalapenos

1 package of bacon, cut into thirds (15 pieces of bacon = 45 pieces)
1 block of cream cheese
About 20-30 jalapenos

1. Cut jalapenos in half. Using a spoon, scoop out the innards.

2. Smear cream cheese on the inside of each jalapeno.

3. Wrap bacon piece around jalapeno, and secure with toothpick. Place on a pan with a rack and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!

Hummus

2009-08-25T08:21:00.000-07:00

Source: Cook's Illustrated

Mmmmm, this was very tasty! This was also a snap to prepare. When I first tasted it right out of the food processor, I was a little disappointed, but surprisingly, the instructions to let it stand to allow the flavors to blend were right on. This makes about 2 cups, and can be refrigerated for up to 5 days after making.

Hummus

Ingredients

3 tablespoons juice from 1 to 2 lemons
1/4 cup water
6 tablespoons tahini , stirred well
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil , plus extra for drizzling
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
1 small garlic clove , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch cayenne
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or parsley leaves

Instructions

1. Combine lemon juice and water in small bowl or measuring cup. Whisk together tahini and 2 tablespoons oil in second small bowl or measuring cup. Set aside 2 tablespoons chickpeas for garnish.

2. Process remaining chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne in food processor until almost fully ground, about 15 seconds. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. With machine running, add lemon juice-water mixture in steady stream through feed tube. Scrape down bowl and continue to process for 1 minute. With machine running, add oil-tahini mixture in steady stream through feed tube; continue to process until hummus is smooth and creamy, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.

3. Transfer hummus to serving bowl, sprinkle reserved chickpeas and cilantro over surface, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until flavors meld, at least 30 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Pita Chips

2009-08-25T08:15:00.000-07:00

Source: All Recipes

I needed some pita chips, but couldn't find any in my grocery store. Then I remembered...pita chips come from PITA BREAD! Sometimes I surprise myself with how smart I am.

I cut the pita bread in half so it was still like a pita pocket, and then cut those halves into 4 pieces, so my chips ended up being double-layered. Next time, I will cut the entire pita in half lengthwise and then cut into 8 pieces so the chips are thinner. I had to cook them for double the amount of time to get them crispy.

I LOVED this particular blend of spices, but next time I think I'll get an oil sprayer. Brushing the olive oil mixture on the pitas meant more oil got on the pitas, which made them a little less crispy and makes them go soft within a couple of days if you have leftovers. Lastly, a reviewer on All Recipes had also said she sprinkled Parmesan on top of these, which I think would be divine! I served these with hummus, but these are also delicious all on their own.

Pita Chips

INGREDIENTS:

12 pita bread pockets
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2. In a small bowl, combine the oil, pepper, salt, and basil.

3. Cut pita in half lengthwise, and brush with oil mixture, or spray with oil and sprinkle with herbs. Using a pizza cutter, cut each pita into 8 pieces.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 7 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy. Watch carefully, as they tend to burn easily!

The Lazy Man's Mojito

2009-08-23T18:10:00.000-07:00

Source: Bon Appetite

I originally saw this on Scrambled and my oh my was this delicious! I love mojitos, but I don't have a muddler, so I never make them at home. This was like the slushy version of a mojito. I made this for a party and 2 pitchers were gone within an hour! If your blender doesn't handle ice well, add in a couple of batches. I will probably be making this for the rest of the summer...

The Lazy Man's Mojito

1 12-ounce can limeade (found in grocer's freezer)

9 ounces vodka ( a little more than a cup)

1/2 cup mint leaves, loosely packed

4 1/2 cups ice cubes.

Blend and enjoy!

Meatloaf

2009-08-09T20:09:00.001-07:00

Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Meatloaf is comfort food at its best. It's actually been a long time since I've had meatloaf, and I've never made it with ground turkey, either! I found the result very tasty, but also DRY. I halved this recipe, and left it in the oven for the full amount of time. When I checked, it was about 15 - 20 degrees over the 160 mark, which probably accounts for its dryness. I loved the actual taste of it, so just make a note to check the temperature within the last half hour of cooking.

Half of this recipe was plenty to feed 4 people, we have leftovers spilling out of our fridge!

Turkey Meatloaf

3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
5 pounds ground turkey breast
1 1/2 cups plain dry bread crumbs
3 extra-large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup ketchup

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

1. In a medium saute pan, over medium-low heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent, but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.

3. Combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased sheet pan. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F. and the meatloaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven under the meatloaf will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold in a sandwich.

Molten Chocolate Cake

2009-08-03T19:34:00.001-07:00

Source: Kraft Foods

My husband and I once ordered something like this at Applebee's. At the time I thought it was SO good, but never thought it was something I could make at home! I love this because not only is it full of chocolately deliciousness, but you essentially make single servings! I halved it for just the two of us, no leftovers! It's so easy, make this today!

Also, it's more fun if you're making this for someone who's never had it - don't tell them they're molten cakes!

Molten Chocolate Cake

4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate (1 ounce each baking chocolate)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray 4 custard cups with cooking spray. Place on baking sheet.

2. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar until well blended. Blend in eggs and egg yolks with wire whisk. Stir in flour. Divide batter among prepared custard cups.

3. Bake 13 to 14 min. or until sides are firm but centers are soft. Let stand 1 min. Carefully run small knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto dessert dishes. Serve immediately, topped with whipped topping or ice cream on the side.

Steak Au Poivre with Brandied Cream Sauce

2009-08-02T19:28:00.001-07:00

Source: Cook's Illustrated

As I've said before, I'm not an overwhelming fan of red meat. However, the past few times I've made filets or the like, I've realized I'm just not good at cooking red meat. It seems like it would be pretty easy, but the combination of searing plus oven-cooking usually stumps me. And I know it's a crime to like a filet medium, but it skeeves me out when blood seeps out on my plate as I cut into my steak.

Well, now that you're hungry!

This recipe was right next to my seared filet recipe in my trusty New Best Recipe, and where there's a sauce that includes cream, butter, and alcohol, count me in. I ended up using thin-cut New York strip steaks, which I found easier to gauge the doneness. The peppercorn crust combined with the sauce is...heavenly, to say the least. Of all the steak recipes I've made, this one is my favorite! Additionally, you usually find a recipe with a title this long is a little complicated. Au contraire, I found this very easy to make!

Put the peppercorns in a bag and pound them with a rolling pin or meat mallet while the sauce is reducing.

Steak au Poivre with Brandied Cream Sauce

INGREDIENTS

Sauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium shallot , minced
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup brandy
1 tablespoon brandy
1 teaspoon lemon juice or 1 teaspoon champagne vinegar
Table salt

Steaks

4 strip steaks (8 to 10 ounces each), 3/4 to 1 inch thick and no larger than 3 inches at widest points, trimmed of exterior gristle
Table salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns , crushed

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat; when foaming subsides, add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add beef and chicken broths, increase heat to high, and boil until reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes. Set reduced broth mixture aside. Rinse and wipe out skillet.

2. Meanwhile, sprinkle both sides of steaks with salt; rub one side of each steak with 1 teaspoon crushed peppercorns, and, using fingers, press peppercorns into steaks to make them adhere.

3. Place now-empty skillet over medium heat until hot, about 4 minutes. Lay steaks unpeppered-side down in hot skillet, increase heat to medium-high, firmly press down on steaks with bottom of cake pan (see illustration below), and cook steaks without moving them until well-browned, about 6 minutes. Using tongs, flip steaks, firmly press down on steaks with bottom of cake pan, and cook on peppered side, about 3 minutes longer for rare, about 4 minutes longer for medium-rare, or about 5 minutes longer for medium. Transfer steaks to large plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.

4. Pour reduced broth, cream, and 1/4 cup brandy into now-empty skillet; increase heat to high and bring to boil, scraping pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Simmer until deep golden brown and thick enough to heavily coat back of metal tablespoon or soup spoon, about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons butter, remaining 1 tablespoon brandy, lemon juice or vinegar, and any accumulated meat juices. Adjust seasonings with salt.

5. Set steaks on individual dinner plates, spoon portion of sauce over steaks, and serve immediately.

Veggie & Cheese Bagel Sandwich

2009-07-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

Source: The Pioneer Woman

I was browsing through Pioneer Woman's Favorites and something about this sandwich looked so tasty! Bagel? Check. Veggies? Check. 3 different types of cheese? CHECK. It's also been very hot here lately, and this seemed like the perfect summer sandwich!

This was sooooooo good! The best thing I've had in ages. In fact, as soon as I started eating it, I regretting putting everything away. I was ready for another! It's a little tough to eat, if you toast the bagel it can be stiff compared to sandwich filling, but I personally think the crunch of the bagel adds a lot to the taste.

Mix it up with whatever veggies you prefer. I left off the avocado, red onion, and alfalfa sprouts for my personal taste. And my husband and I split this - one sandwich half is plenty!

Veggie & Cream Cheese Bagel Sandwich

Bagel of your choice, toasted and set aside to cool

1/2 block cream cheese

2-3 green onions

Cucumbers

Tomatoes

Avocado

Red Onion

Alfalfa Sprouts

Lettuce

Muenster Cheese

Cheddar Cheese

1. Place 1/2 block of cream cheese on a plate and mash it with a fork. Chop up 2-3 green onions finely and mix with the cream cheese until throughly combined.

2. Slice all veggies thinly.

3. Spread cream cheese generously on both bagel halves. Layer the vegetables. Layer the avocado slices right on the cream cheese, followed by the alfalfa sprouts and one slice of each kind of cheese.

4. On the other bagel, add the cucumber slices on the cream cheese. Sprinkle with salt if desired. Lay the onion slices on top, then the tomotoes followed by lettuce.

5. Put the whole thing together and enjoy!

Chicken Provencal

2009-07-24T21:23:00.000-07:00

Source: Cook's Illustrated

I saw the video for making this recipe, and have wanted to make it ever since. 1. Anything with chicken thighs is amazing; and 2. I love Cook's Illustrated. Truly, it never fails.

That said, I felt the dish lacked a LITTLE sweetness. However, I did not have real zest or nicose olives. I'm sure those made all the difference!

INGREDIENTS
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), trimmed of excess skin and fat
table salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion , chopped fine (about 2/3 cup)
6 medium cloves garlic , pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 anchovy fillet , minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes (14 1/2 ounces), drained
2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaf
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
1/2 cup niçoise olives , pitted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 300 degrees. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add 4 chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook without moving them until skin is crisp and well browned, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken pieces and brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer; transfer to large plate. Add remaining 4 chicken thighs to pot and repeat, then transfer to plate and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot.

2. Add onion to fat in Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, anchovy, and cayenne; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and scrape up browned bits from pan bottom with wooden spoon. Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, oregano, bay, and herbes de Provence (if using). Remove and discard skin from chicken thighs, then submerge chicken in liquid and add accumulated chicken juices to pot. Increase heat to high, bring to simmer, cover, then set pot in oven; cook until chicken offers no resistance when poked with tip of paring knife but still clings to bones, about 1 1/4 hours.

3. Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken to serving platter and tent with foil. Discard bay leaf. Set Dutch oven over high heat, stir in 1 teaspoon lemon zest, bring to boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes. Stir in olives and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Meanwhile, mix remaining 1/2 teaspoon zest with parsley. Spoon sauce over chicken, drizzle chicken with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, sprinkle with parsley mixture, and serve.

Chicken Tikki Masala

2009-07-03T18:34:00.000-07:00

Source: Cook's Illustrated

Having lived in the midwest the vast majority of my life, and growing up on standard American fare, I have to admit I really don't have an adventurous palate. Since moving out west, that's changed! I now love sushi, and have tried Thai as well. I've never felt a desire to try Indian food, but I was flipping through my ever-consistent New Best Recipe and thought, "Why not?" This wasn't any more difficult than any other dish I've made. I had to pick up garam masala and a few other spices, but it was overall really easy.

Did I LOVE it? I liked it, A LOT, but a little quirk to my taste buds is I don't like sweet meat dishes. I rarely like barbeque sauce. Suffice to say, the resulting chicken had a slightly sweet flavor, but I overall really enjoyed the different flavors. I'd like to try this again because sometimes it takes new tastes awhile to grow on me. For instance, the first time I had sushi, I was like, "Okay, but probably not again." Ha ha! Now you can't keep me away from a crunchy roll!

I also like the "technique" of cooking the chicken under the broiler. It's like a grill without the mess! I may start using that particular method again in other recipes.

I made this with basmati rice - check the label carefully. I didn't read it quite thoroughly enough, and my package instructions had me soaking the rice for 15 minutes, then boiling down for another 35 minutes, which is longer than the recipe takes to make. I also added 1 tablespoon of tumeric for a little more flavor and color! I do so love the colors of this dish :)

Chicken Tikka

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon table salt
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion , diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced (if you like more heat, keep in some of the ribs)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.

2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

Sauteed Mushrooms

2009-06-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

Adapted from: Recipe Zaar

One of my VERY FAVORITE dishes is the sauteed mushrooms from Outback Steakhouse. First of all, I don't like raw mushrooms. Ugh. They taste like nothing. I DO, however, like it when mushrooms act like little flavor sponges, soaking up the flavor of the dish they're in. Yum! This is a delicious example of that, and an absolutely PERFECT side dish with steak. It's pretty close to the restaurant version, and is RIDICULOUSLY easy! I did notice looking at the recipe it only contained beef broth and wine, and the Outback version has a little more richness to it. I added a couple tablespoons of butter with a clove of minced garlic and that seemed to do the trick. I'm sure the restaurant version has at least double the butter, but hey, this is a little healthier, right?

Sauteed Mushrooms

2 tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can beef broth

1/2 cup onion, diced

8 ounces fresh sliced baby bella mushrooms

1/3 cup red wine

1. Add butter and garlic to saucepan over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes. Add beef broth and onion to pan and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Add mushrooms and wine, and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Enjoy!

Steak with Garlic Butter

2009-06-29T18:26:00.000-07:00

Adapted from: All Recipes

I had a hankering for steak this weekend, and I love all things that combine garlic and butter, so this seemed a pretty easy pick. We don't have a grill, so I adapted this for the stovetop. I am still mastering cooking a steak well over the stovetop. A lot of time the outside is seared and the inside can get pretty rare. I still have some messing around to do with my temperatures, but one tip I picked up from The New Best Recipe when cooking filets is to place in a 450 degree oven until done. If you're not getting your desired doneness via stovetop, it's probably a good tip.

Another mistake I made is I made the steaks in one pan, then set them aside and figured I'd make the sauce in the same pan, what with brown bits being all the rage. What I did NOT count on was the pan being too hot. The sauce was fine, but the butter started foaming as I added it to the pan. Oh well, live and learn! If you don't like the taste of garlic powder, just add more fresh garlic!

Steak with Garlic Butter

1/4 cup butter

2 teaspoons garlic powder

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 pounds beef top sirloin steak, 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick

1. Preheat a heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet over high heat until very hot. Meanwhile, season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper to taste.

2. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat with garlic powder and minced garlic. Set aside.

3. Lay the steaks in the pan, leaving 1/4 inch of space between them. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, not moving the steaks until they are well-browned, about 4 mihutes. Using tongs, flip the steaks; cook 4 minutes for rare (120 degrees), 5 minutes for medium rare (125-130 degrees), and 6 minutes for medium (135-140 degrees). Transfer the steaks to a large plate, top with garlic butter sauce, and let rest 3-5 minutes before serving.

Lemon Pepper Linguine with Chicken

2009-06-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

Adapted from: All Recipes

This was another meal I picked solely on how easy it looked, and I was surprised by how tasty it was! My sauces tend to be in the tomato family, so it was nice to have something a little different. Because of the light lemony flavor of the sauce, this dish really reminds me of summer. The only thing missing was some fresh grated Parmesan!

I also did something in the last few recipes which has improved the flavor and tenderness of the chicken each time. I browned the chicken in the skillet, and then removed to a 200 degree oven while I prepared the rest of the ingredients. Doing this, or in the very least letting the chicken rest for 3-4 minutes before slicing or serving, allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making for a tasty, juicer chicken.

Lemon Pepper Linguine with Chicken

8 ounces linguine pasta

2 thin-cut chicken breasts

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

6 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup white wine

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Salt to taste

1/4 cup butter

3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil

1. Heat oven to 200 degress.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add linguine, and cook until al dente. Drain.

3. While the linguine is cooking, sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned, about 5 minutes each side. Remove to a plate and place in preheated oven while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

4. Add garlic to skillet and cook for 1 minutes. Mix in chicken broth, wine, lemon juice, zest, pepper, and salt. Scrape bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, and reduce heat and simmer for about 3 minutes.

5. Add butter and herbs into saucepan. Mix and cook 2-3 minutes. Remove chicken from oven and slice into bite-sized pieces. Add to sauce and mix well. Divide linguine on plates and top with chicken mixture and serve.

Simple Chicken Dinner

2009-06-13T20:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I'm not in the mood to cook and want a no-brainer meal to make. This chicken is the perfect canvass for a quick meal. You can use the seasonings of your choice to mix it up or make it your own!

Simple Chicken Dinner

4 thin-cut chicken breasts

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup of flour

Seasonings of your choice (salt, pepper, select herbs, or seasoning blends. Just be careful with blends as they can be a little salty.)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth.

1. Heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Sprinkle chicken breasts with seasonings of your choice, then dredge in flour.

2. Add garlic to skillet and cook until just beginning to brown, a few minutes. Add chicken to skillet and cook until browned, about 5 minutes each side. Set aside and tent with foil, or place in 200 degree oven to keep warm.

3. Add chicken stock or broth to skillet and cook, scraping browned bits. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to sifter and slowly add into the liquid until it becomes thick.

4. Top chicken with gravy and enjoy!

Simple Pot Roast

2009-06-09T19:59:00.001-07:00

Source: The New Best Recipe

Honestly, I'm just not that into beef. I mean, I LOVE meat! Bring on the pork, chicken, and turkey. But beef...meh. I may cook with it once a month or less.

I was scanning recipes for last weekend and I was just BORED of always making the same things. I had tagged the pot roast from Bridget's blog and it was something I've never made. As well, I'm pretty much always a sucker for Cook's Illustrated recipes.

I was pleasantly surprised by this roast! The roast I've had in the past have consisted of rather dry meat with carrots and potatoes. Nothing to write home about. But my husband and I both loved this! The meat was incredibly tender and flavorful. If you really love beef, I can highly recommend this recipe!

Pot Roast

1 boneless chuck-eye roast (about 3 1/2 pounds), patted dry with paper towels

Salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped medium

1 small carrot, chopped medium

1 small celery rib, chopped medium

2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press

2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup low-sodium beef broth

1 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1 spring fresh thyme

1 - 1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup dry red wine

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Sprinkle the roast generously with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Heat the oil in a large oven-proof Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Brown the roast thoroughly on all sides, reducing the heat if the fat begins to smoke, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the roast to a large plate; set aside.

3. Reduce the heat to medium; add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and sugar; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broths and thyme, scraping the pan bottom with a wooden spoon to loosed any browned bits. Return the roast and any accumulated juices on the plate to the pot; add enough water to come halfway up the sides of the roast. Cover with a lid, bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat, and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook, turning the roast every 30 minutes, until fully tender and a meat fork or sharp knife slips easily in and out of the meat, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

4. Transfer the roast to a carving board; tent with foil to keep warm. Allow the liquid in the pan to settle about 5 minutes, then use a wide spoon to skim the fat off the surface; discard the thyme sprig. Add the wine and reduce to 1 1/2 cups, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Using a chef's or carving knife, cut the meat into 1/2 inch slices, or pull apart into large pieces; transfer the meat to a warmed serving plate and pour about 1/2 cup sauce over the meat. Serve, passing the remaining sauce separately.

4-3-2-1 Cupcakes

2009-05-25T19:14:00.001-07:00

I have actually made these before, back when I apparently had a total lapse in judgement and WAY overfilled the muffin tins. They were not salvageable. These were much better and the flavor remains one of my favorite cupcake recipes! I think the almond extract really makes the difference.

4-3-2-1 Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcaktes

1 cup of butter
2 cups of sugar
3 cups of cake flour (I used regular, couldn't find this "cake flour")
3 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of salt
4 eggs
1 cup of milk
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1/2 tsp of almond extract

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and gradually add sugar, creaming until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture alternatively with milk and almond and vanilla extract, beating after each addition until smooth. Pour batter into cupcake tins. Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and remove from pan to finish cooling. Top with your frosting of choice. I used cream cheese frosting. Yum!

Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-05-25T19:04:00.001-07:00

Adapted from: All Recipes

All Recipes reviews, you have foiled me again! I always look at the reviews and frequently adjust my recipes if I see enough of the same comments. Here, I saw one comment in particular: the frosting is too "cream cheesy." Many reviewers suggested adding more sugar and less cream cheese. My result was actually a little too sweet; I suggest my version below. The best thing to do is add the sugar, and with the last cup, add gradually to your taste.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup of butter, softened

2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Pastor Ryan's Bolognese Sauce

2009-05-23T20:08:00.000-07:00

Source: The Pioneer Woman

Compared to other bolognese sauces I've made, this one was ridiculously easy and good. I liked the simple ingredients and how easy it was to put together. Typically I see "salt and pepper" in a recipe and you're supposed to add it "to taste," but I rarely do. This time I actually tasted the sauce after it had been simmering for an hour and it seemed a little...blah. 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and about a teaspoon of ground black pepper made it perfect. This is now my go-to bolognese recipe!

Pastor Ryan's Bolognese

1 1/2 cups grated carrots

1 large red onion, diced

1/2 cup olive oil

2 pounds ground beef (I used turkey)

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons dried basil

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups red wine

2 tablespoons Worcestershire

Salt

Pepper

2 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes

1 cup milk

Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add grated carrots and onion and cook for a few minutes.

2. Make a well in the center of the mixture, and add in ground beef. Cook until brown, gradually stirring in carrot mixture.

3. Add in oregano and basil. Use fresh if you have; if you don't, it's fine.

4. When the meat is browned and combined with other ingredients, make another well. Add tomato paste and let it heat.

5. Add garlic and stir to combine.

6. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add red wine. Stir together.

7. Add Worcestershire and stir.

8. Add canned tomatoes.

9. Finally, add in milk, stir, and let simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Serve with pasta and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Pastor Ryan's Homemade Noodles

2009-05-23T19:41:00.000-07:00

Source: The Pioneer Woman

I follow The Pioneer Woman's blog a lot, and I loved her most recent posts where Pastor Ryan visited. I had HEARD about homemade noodles, but never even thought about making them.

These were good, and being the fact that I love cooking so much, were fun to make and required very little effort. However, my slicing skills stink, and I don't think the noodles were as thin as they should have been, and thus took longer to cook. I thought they were good, and fun to make, but I'm not sure if I would make them again just because my noodle size and width were ALL over the board!

1 cup of flour and 2 eggs makes enough for 2 - double accordingly!

Pastor Ryan's Homemade Noodles

1 cup of flour

2 eggs

Chopped fresh parsley

Combine the flour and egg, and knead my hand or with your Kitchen Aid until smooth. Roll out dough very thinly on a floured surface. If waiting until rolling out, keep in a plastic bag (unrefrigerated) until you need the dough.

Put on a large salted pot of water to boil.

Cut dough with a knife or pizza roller as thinly as possible. Add to boiling water, and boil 2-5 minutes, testing occasionally until al dente.

Remove from pot and drain. Toss with freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Mexican Pizza

2009-05-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

Adapted from: Good Eats n' Sweet Treats

I literally saw this in Cooking This and That TODAY and immediately made it! I mean, really, how can you go wrong with this combination of ingredients? Simple prep, clean-up, and extremely satisfying! Unlike the other bloggers, I am lazy and used packaged taco seasoning. I would also suggest spraying the tortillas LIGHTLY. If you over-coat them (NOT THAT I DID), they'll take longer to crisp up.

Mexican Pizza

1 1/3 pound package ground turkey or beef

1 package taco seasoning

Scant 1/3 cup water

6 (8-inch) flour tortillas

Cooking spray

3 tablespoons chopped green onions

6 ounces refried beans

1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes (about 1 medium)

3/4 cup taco sauce

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or Mexican cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the turkey until brown; drain. Return to the heat and add the taco seasoning and water. Continue to cook for several minutes, until cooked through, stirring often.

3. Spray both sides of each tortilla with cooking spray and place directly on the oven rack (about 3 at a time). Bake for about 6 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. Watch carefully so they don't burn. Remove to a baking sheet and turn oven to 400 degrees.

4. Microwave the refried beans for 30-60 seconds, or until spreadable.

5. Lay 3 tortillas out on a baking sheet, and top each with 1/3 refried beans, 1/3 turkey mixture, and 1/4 cup cheese. Top with another tortilla and lightly press down.

6. Top the second tortillas with 1/4 cup taco sauce. Layer with 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, 1/4 cup cheese, and 1 tablespoon green onions.

7. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into wedges and top with sour cream or salsa if desired.

Repost

2009-05-18T21:21:00.001-07:00

I've made this Red Beans and Rice before and I just wanted to post it again since I think it's the one recipe I've made over and over since posting it! I actually don't make rice with it, so I guess it's technically Pork and Beans. This has become my favorite not only because of its flavor, but the fact that I love to make a big batch, eat and little, and then bring the rest to work for lunch the rest of the week. I've been making an effort to eat out less and I prefer having something hot for lunch. This is very filling and tasty. Try it!

Chicken Scallopine

2009-05-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

Source: The Pioneer Woman

This looked a little different than some of the chicken dishes I've made lately, and it sure was tasty, as well as easy! I love the combination of lemon, capers, and white wine. I'm sure you could also throw in a minced garlic clove right before the mushrooms and it would be wonderful!

Chicken Scallopine

1 pound linguine

6 boneless, skinless trimmed chicken breasts

Flour

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons butter

12 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin

1 cup white wine

1 lemon

1/2 cup heavy cream or half & half

1 heaping tablespoons capers

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Flatten chicken breasts to uniform thickness. Salt and pepper both sides, then dredge in flour.

3. Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry chicken breasts until golden brown (abour 2-3 minutes each side). Remove to a plate and set aside.

4. Throw mushrooms into the pan and stir. Immediately pour in white wine, and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Allow mushrooms to cook vigirously for about a minute, until sauce darkens and reduces.

5. Pour in cream and stir, then add capers and parsley and stir. Turn off heat. Stir and add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Place pasta and chicken on a platter and top with sauce. Generously sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

I want my baby back, baby back, baby back...

2009-05-09T21:48:00.000-07:00

Source: The New Best Recipe

Have you ever made something, something that took a good long time, but at the end of it said, "SO WORTH IT."? This meal I had, which consisted of ribs, homemade potato salad, and corn, was SO delicious it made the hours in the kitchen worth it. The New Best Recipe never fails me, and in this instance, really blew my socks off.

One of the best parts is the fact that you do everything in advance. As the ribs were brining, I was preparing the dry rub as well as boiling the potatoes for the salad. As the ribs cooked, I finished the salad and made the barbeque sauce. I put water on to boil the corn about 20 minutes before ribs were done. It's always so nice when you don't have anything to clean up after the meal!

We have a Rival Crock Pot BBQ Pit that my husband bought on a whim a couple of years ago. Think a really wide Crock Pot. Normally it's kind of a pain to store, being as big as it is, but it does a great job on stuff like ribs. Like you can see above, it comes with an insert that you can stack the ribs in, set on high for 5 hours, and have fall-of-the-bone ribs. I do like the not thinking aspect of cooking ribs with this!

Since most people probably don't have the BBQ Pit, I thought I'd post the brine as well as the dry rub for the ribs. The brine is essential to tender ribs, and the dry rub was so good you could easily go without barbeque sauce.

Also, despite all the hype with "baby back" ribs, The New Best Recipe states loin back ribs are usually preferred because they're meatier.

Rib Brine

This brine is for 2 full racks (or 4 pounds) or baby back or loin ribs. I was making only one full rack, so I reduced the salt and sugar in half to avoid over-seasoning.

1/2 cup table salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 full racks of baby back or loin back ribs (4 pounds total)

Dissolve the salt and sugar in 4 quarts of water in a stockpot or large plastic container. Submerge the ribs in the brine and refrigerate 1 hour, until fully seasoned. Remove the ribs from the brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.

Dry Rub for Barbeque

Makes about 1 cup. Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several weeks.

1/4 cup sweet paprika

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon ground white pepper

1 - 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Rub each side of the racks with 1 tablespoon of the dry rub and refrigerate the racks at least 30 minutes. Cook racks as desired.

Quick Barbeque Sauce

2009-05-09T21:46:00.000-07:00

Source: The New Best Recipe

While I was making ribs, I thought I might as well try to make some homemade barbeque sauce. This was incredibly simple and tasty. Adjust the seasonings to your taste, adding more cayenne if you like a more spicy barbeque sauce.

Quick Barbeque Sauce

1 medium onion, peeled and quartered

1/4 cup water

1 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestshire sauce

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

5 tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (like Red Hot)

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Process the onion with the water in the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade until pureed and the mixture resembles slush, about 30 seconds. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a luquid measuring cup, pressing on the solids with a rubber spatula to obtain 1/2 cup juice. Discard the solids.

2. Whisk the onion juice, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestshire, mustard, molasses, hot pepper sauce, black pepper, and liquid smoke together in a medium bowl.

3. Heat the oil in a large nonreactive sauce-pan over medium heat until shimmering, but not smoking. Add the garlic, chili powder, and cayenne; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the ketchup mixture and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently uncovered, until the flavors meld and the sauce thickens, about 25 minutes. Cool the sauce to room temperature before serving. The sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 1 week.

American Potato Salad with Hard-Boiled Eggs and Sweet Pickles

2009-05-09T21:25:00.000-07:00

Source: The New Best Recipe

I was a little nervous making this recipe if it would live up to the amount of time invested. It wasn't quite as "coated" as other potato salads I'd eaten. But it was super yummy! It takes take a fair amount of time between hard-boiling the eggs and mincing the onions, celery, and sweet pickles (DON'T use relish!) but the result is oh-so-good! There are so many good things about this salad - the red wine vinegar seasoned potatoes, the crunchy celery, the sweet pickles. It was delicious! It does make a fairly large amount for the two of us, so I'm glad we have extras!

American Potato Salad with Hard-Boiled Eggs and Sweet Pickles

2 pounds red potatoes (about 6 medium or 18 small), scrubbed

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Salt and ground black pepper

3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch dice

1 medium celery rib, mined (about 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup sweet pickles, minced

2 tablespoons minced red onion

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

1. To hard-boil the eggs: Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with one inch of water. Bring the pan to a boil, remove from heat, and let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add 1 quart of cold water and 1 tray of ice (or equivalent) to a large bowl. Remove eggs from pan to ice water. Let sit for 5 minutes. Tap each egg on countertop, then roll all over to crack entire surface. Peel, and dice eggs.

2. Cover the potatoes with 1 inch water in a stockpot or Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring once or twice to ensure even cooking, until the potatoes are tender, 25 to 30 minutes for medium potatoes or 15 to 20 minutes for small potatoes.

3. Drain; cool potatoes slightly and peel if you like (I didn't). Cut the potatoes into 3/4 inch cubes (use a serrated knife if they have skins) while still warm, rinsing the knife occasionally in warm water to remove the starch.

4. Place the warm potato cubes in a large bowl. Add the vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and toss gently. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool, about 20 minutes.

5. When the potatoes are cool, toss with the remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to one day.

Wilted Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

2009-04-25T18:32:00.001-07:00

Source: Cook's Illustrated

How this amazing recipe escaped my radar for so long is a CRIME. A TRAVESTY. Because. It. Is. Heaven. On. A. Plate. Divinely inspired. I don't even think the English language has a WORD for how incredible this is.

I'm a "Would you like some salad with your dressing?" type of person, so I would have liked the salad to be a little more coated with dressing, but that's just me. I'll probably hold back a couple ounces of spinach next time. Everything else is wonderful. All the ingredients work so well together.

I made this with the pan-seared salmon I also posted today. If you'd like to make them together (and I highly recommend it!), start cooking the salmon after the bacon has been cooking for about 5 minutes. I savored every bite of the meal!

Wilted Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

3 large eggs

6 ounces baby spinach

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon white sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Table salt

8 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 medium red onion, chopped medium (about 1/2 cup)

1 small garlic clove, pressed through a garlic press

Instructions

1. Place eggs in a medium saucepan, cover with 1 inch of water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fill medium bowl with 1 quart ice water. Transfer eggs to ice water with slotted spoon; let stand 5 minutes, then peel eggs, quarter them lengthwise, and set aside.

2. Place spinach in a large bowl. Stir vinegar, sugar, pepper, and salt together in small bowl until sugar dissolves; set aside.

3. Fry bacon in medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper-towel lined plate. Pour bacon fat into heatproof bowl, then return 3 tablespoons bacon fat to skillet. Add onion to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add vinegar to mixture, then remove skillet from heat; working quickly, scrape bottom of skillet with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Pour hot dressing over spinach, add bacon, and toss gently with tongs until spinach is slightly wilted. Divide among individual plates, arrange egg quarters over each, and serve.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Sesame Seed Crust

2009-04-25T18:07:00.000-07:00

Source: Cook's Illustrated

I have a penchant for smothering most of my seafood in cream-based sauces. As one of my favorite comedians Jim Gaffigan has said, "You know what's good on fish? Anything that kills the taste of fish."

When I saw this recipe, I had originally planned on making the suggested chutney, too, but had to skip it when I was missing several key ingredients. I ended up being glad I didn't, because this was SO GOOD. It came together incredibly quick. I ended up using skinless fillets, and I just loved the crust that the pan-searing left on both sides of the fish. The combination of salt, pepper, and sesame was heavenly. Simple and filling. You must try this recipe!

Being that my fish was skinless, I kept the sesame seeds to one of the tops and sides, and started searing the fish on the seedless side first.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Sesame Seed Crust

1/4	cup sesame seeds
4	salmon fillets skin-on, each about 6 ounces and 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick
	Table salt and ground black pepper
3	teaspoons canola oil or vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet for 3 minutes over high heat. Spread sesame seeds in a pie plate. Rub salmon fillets with 2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then press flesh sides of fillets in sesame seeds to coat.

2. Add remaining oil to pan; swirl to coat. When oil shimmers (but does not smoke) add fillets skin side down and cook, without moving fillets, until pan regains lost heat, about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium-high; continue to cook until skin side is well browned and bottom half of fillets turns opaque, 4 1/2 minutes. Turn fillets and cook, without moving them, until they are no longer translucent on the exterior and are firm, but not hard, when gently squeezed: 3 minutes for medium-rare and 3 1/2 minutes for medium. Remove fillets from pan, being careful not to break sesame crust; let stand 1 minute. Pat with paper towel to absorb excess fat on surface, if desired. Serve immediately.

Roman-style Chicken

2009-04-20T18:51:00.000-07:00

Source: Food Network

Sometimes I get a little bored of chicken, so I went to the Food Network in search of a new recipe. I like this one by Giada - proscuttio, peppers, and capers were not a combination I've had before! I thought this was incredibly tasty, but next time I will make it entirely with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which I think will taste better and cut down on the cooking time. I liked the thighs much better than the breasts - mine may have been overdone, but did not seem to soak up the flavor like the thighs did!

Ingredients

4 skinless chicken breast halves, with ribs
2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions

1. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

2. Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.

3. If serving immediately, add the capers and the parsley. Stir to combine and serve. If making ahead of time, transfer the chicken and sauce to a storage container, cool, and refrigerate. The next day, reheat the chicken to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the capers and the parsley and serve.

Seafood Gratin

2009-04-18T19:41:00.000-07:00

Adapted from: Barefoot Contessa at Home

Boy, oh boy. If this doesn't make you go out and buy one of Ina's cookbooks, I don't know what will! I saw this on Smells Like Home and what with my seafood addiction and all, had to make it! This is the best dish I've cooked so far in 2009! So incredibly tasty and flavorful. If you like seafood, this is a must-make dish!

A couple of drawbacks: yes, the dish is expensive. You need 8 ounces each of lobster, fish, and shrimp. But as the Smells Like Home blogger notes, you really could not get 4 servings of a dish like this at a restaurant for $30!

The prep time is also lengthy. For me, it took about 2 and a half hours from initial prepping to the table. Part of that is I truly suck at julienning...well, anything, so that step took me a good 20 minutes or so.

I cannot wait to heat this up again tomorrow...yum!

Seafood Gratin

1 cup clam juice

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons white wine, divided

3 tablespoon tomato puree

8 ounces raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails cut off and cut in half crosswise

8 ounces halibut or cod, cut into 1-inch chunks

8 ounces cooked lobster meat, cut into 1-inch chunks

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 cups julienned leeks, white and green parts (2-3 leeks)

1 1/2 cups julienned carrots (3 carrots)

1 cup panko

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves

1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place 4 individual gratin dishes on sheet pans. (I used a square baking dish.)
Combine the stock, cream, 1/2 cup of the wine, and the tomato puree in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and add the shrimp. After 3 minutes, use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp to a bowl. Add the halibut to the stock for 3 minutes, until just cooked through, and remove to the same bowl. Add the cooked lobster to the bowl.
Continue to cook the sauce until reduced by half, about 12 minutes. Mash 1 tablespoon of the butter together with the flour. Whisk the butter mixture into the sauce along with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saute pan. Add the leeks and carrots and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of wine, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until tender. Set aside.
Combine the panko, Parmesan, parsley, tarragon, and garlic. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and mix it into the crumbs until they’re moistened.
Divide the seafood among the 4 gratin dishes. Strew the vegetables on top of each dish. Pour the sauce equally over the seafood and vegetables and spoon the crumbs evenly on top. Bake for 20 minutes, until the top is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Serve hot.

Pan-Seared Filet Minon

2009-04-12T18:47:00.001-07:00

Source: The New Best Recipe

I've always been a little scared of steak-type beef. HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT'S DONE? I've made maybe 3 of them my entire life.

Being out of state from the rest of your family means you don't have a good grasp on the holidays sometimes. I mean, I KNEW it was Easter, but I didn't really think it through when planning out my weekend menu. I had some chicken thing planned, but realized I wanted something a little nicer. We've had a lot of seafood lately, so I thought I'd go for filet minon.

It's not nearly as complex as I thought! This recipe combines pan-searing with oven roasting, which allows you to get a really nice crust without overcooking. I also made a red wine reduction sauce which was OUT OF THIS WORLD good, but our filets were very thick, so I couldn't really taste it.

To get your optimal doneness, The New Best Recipe suggest making a small nick in the steak with the tip of a paring knife, and checking it every so often while roasting.

The New Best Recipe also suggests using a heavy-bottomed 10-inch skillet. The decreased surface area helps to protect the fond, which is left behind after searing the filets, from burning. I used a 12-inch because that's all I had, and mine did burn a little. Using a pan like an All-Clad stainless steel qualifies as "heavy bottomed."

I popped a couple of potatoes in the microwave while the filets were in the oven and served them with sour cream, butter, green onions, bacon, and cheese on the side. It made for a very satisfying meal!

Pan-Seared Filet Minons

Serves 4

4 center-cut filets minon, 1 1/2 inches thick, patted dry with paper towels

4 teaspoons olive oil

Salt and ground black pepper

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position, place a rimmed baking sheet on the oven rack, and heat the oven to 450 degrees. When the oven reaches 450 degrees, heat a heavy-bottomed 10-inch skillet over high heat on the stovetop until very hot.

2. Meanwhile, rub each side of the steaks with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper to taste. Place the steaks in the skillet and cook, without moving the steaks, until well browned and a nice crust has formed, about 3 minutes. Turn the steaks with tongs and cook until well browned and a nice crust has formed on the second side, about 3 more minutes. Remove the pan from heat; using tongs, transfer each steak to the heating baking sheet in the oven.

3. Roast 2 to 4 minutes for very rate, 4 to 6 minutes for rare, 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare, and 8 to 10 minutes for medium. (After transferring the steaks to the oven, prepare a pan sauce in the empty skillet, if desired.) Transfer the steaks to a large plate, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Quick Black Forest Cake

2009-04-12T10:25:00.001-07:00

Source: All Recipes

Whoops, I've been on a bit of a blogging haitus. We had guests in town a couple of weeks back, and I really don't like to test drive new recipes on guests! Last weekend I was in the mood to make some old favorites. I guess it happens when you only pull out the stops 2 days a week!

We were invited to a last-minute dinner with only a few hours before we had to leave. I hate to go to someone's house empty handed, so I racked my brain and my cupboard for easy recipes with ingredients I had on hand. I remembered this cake, which I haven't made in years, but is ridiculously easy and always a hit. To make things even simpler, I used some chocolate frosting I had on-hand instead of making the glaze. Enjoy!

Quick Black Forest Cake

Serves 18

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix with pudding (I just used a normal chocolate cake mix)
3 eggs
1 tablespoon almond extract
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Mix together: cake mix, beaten eggs, almond extract, cherry pie filling and 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips. Stir until just combined. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 inch pan.

3. Bake in a 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and let cool.

4. To Make Glaze: Heat 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, butter or margarine, and milk in a saucepan over medium high heat. Once semisweet chocolate chips are melted and mixture is combined stir in confectioners' sugar.

5. Spread glaze over cooled cake. Serve cake as is or with whipped cream and a cherry.

Crispy Onion Strings

2009-03-23T19:24:00.000-07:00

Source: The Pioneer Woman

I used to HATE onions. I typically omitted them in all forms of cooking. Over the past few years, I've used them more and loved them more. I even used to hate onion rings, but I've grown to love those, too. As soon as I saw these on Pioneer Woman's website, I knew I had to make them. They were incredibly easy and DELICIOUS! If you like onion rings, I think you'll be surprised by how simple it is to make them. The hardest part is sitting there and waiting for the oil to heat up. Once the oil is heated up, leave it on high. I reduced it, thinking it would continue to rise, but it dips quite a bit once you add in the onions.

I made these yesterday and just reheated some in the microwave, and they reheat quite well, too!

Crispy Onion Strings

1 large onion

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups all-purpose flour

Slightly less than 1 tablespoon salt

Ground black pepper

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 to 2 quarts canola oil.

1. Slice onion very thin and seperate rings. Place in a baking dish and pour buttermilk over the rings. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

2. Add oil to a stainless steel Dutch oven or stockpot. Clip a candy thermometer to the side. Turn heat on high and heat oil to 375 degrees.

3. While oil is heating, combine dry ingredients. Using tongs, take some of the onions and coat in the flour mixture. Tap to shake off the access, and plunge into the hot oil. Use tongs to separate and let fry until golden brown. Remove onions and place on a paper-towel lined plate.

4. Repeat until onions are done. Enjoy!

Pioneer Woman's Penne a la Betsy

2009-03-22T18:39:00.000-07:00

Source: The Pioneer Woman

I've seen this recipe floating around on a few blogs, and being the shrimp lover that I am, I had to put it in the rotation! This is divine! I've made similar cream-based sauces and this time I added a few pinches of cayenne to spice it up. It was incredibly good and filling!

I forgot to pick up fresh herbs at the store and used dried. It turned out fine, but I could tell they would have made a world of difference compared to the dried. I really need/want to get an Aerogarden!

Penne a la Betsy

1 pound shrimp

3/4 pound penne pasta

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup white wine

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chiffonaded

Salt and pepper

1. Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Add the penne pasta and cook until al dente.

2. Peel, devein and rinse shrimp under cool water. Heat 1 tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add shrimp and cook for a couple of minutes, until just opaque. Remove to a plate and let cool for a few mintues.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons each butter and olive oil in skillet. Add garlic and onion and saute, stirring occasionally. Remove tails from shrimp and chop into bite-sized pieces and set aside. After the garlic and onion have cooked for awhile, add white wine to skillet. Let evaporate a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add in tomato sauce. Stir until well combined. Add heavy cream and stir. Turn heat down to low and let simmer while you chop herbs. Add parsley and basil to skillet and stir. Add shrimp back into skillet and add salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked penne pasta and heat a couple of minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

2009-03-21T21:08:00.000-07:00

Source: Cook's Illustrated

I woke up with a cold this Friday, so naturally this weekend all I wanted was chicken noodle soup! I've made a few homemade versions before, but nothing blew my socks off. This was super yummy! The use of ground chicken, then straining the stock, really makes for a tasty broth. This was perfectly flavored, so good!

It did take a long time to make, almost 2 hours! It was a very easy recipe, it just takes time between all the stages of letting the broth or soup simmer. I think the next time I give this a go I might use skin-on chicken thighs, just because I prefer darker meat.

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

Serves 4-6

Stock:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound ground chicken
1 small onion , chopped medium (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot , peeled and chopped medium (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium celery rib , chopped medium
1 quart water
2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons table salt
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (about 12 ounces each), cut in half crosswise

Soup:
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1 small onion , halved and sliced thin (about 1 cup)
2 medium carrots , peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
1 medium celery rib , halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium russet potato (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 ounces egg noodles (about 1 cup)
4 - 6 Swiss chard leaves , ribs removed, torn into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups) (optional)
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
Table salt and ground black pepper

1. For the stock: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add ground chicken, onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink, 5 to 10 minutes (do not brown chicken).

2. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add water, broth, bay leaves, salt, and chicken breasts; cover and cook for 30 minutes. Remove lid, increase heat to high, and bring to boil. (If liquid is already boiling when lid is removed, remove chicken breasts immediately and continue with recipe.) Transfer chicken breasts to large plate and set aside. Continue to cook stock for 20 minutes, adjusting heat to maintain gentle boil. Strain stock through fine-mesh strainer into large pot or container, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Allow liquid to settle about 5 minutes and skim off fat, leaving a little for flavor.

3. For the soup: Return stock to Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. In small bowl, combine cornstarch and water until smooth slurry forms; stir into stock and bring to gentle boil. Add onion, carrots, celery, and potato and cook until potato pieces are almost tender, 10 to 15 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain gentle boil. Add egg noodles and continue to cook until all vegetables and noodles are tender, about 5 minutes longer.

4. Meanwhile, remove skin and bones from reserved cooked chicken and discard. Shred meat with fingers or 2 forks. Add shredded chicken, Swiss chard (if using), and parsley to soup and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; serve.