We Cook Here

Cranberry Butter

2011-12-10T13:30:00.000-08:00

This butter is all things good about the flavors of the holidays. I'd suggest making a batch to serve with Christmas morning toast or any other breads that may come your way this season.
*1/2 lb. butter, softened
*1/4 c. chopped fresh cranberries
*1/4 c. honey
*zest from 1 orange

Combine all ingredients until well-blended. Keep refrigerated and let soften slightly before serving.

Candied Yams

2011-11-12T08:55:00.000-08:00

This is our family's favorite way to eat yams.
*1 29-oz. can yams, drained
*1/4 c. butter, sliced
*1/2 c. brown sugar
*1 1/2 c. mini marshmallows
*1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Combine all in an 8" square baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 400 for 25 minutes.

Pesto Chicken and Parmesan Noodles

2011-07-19T13:27:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick and tasty summer meal.
*1 lb. angel hair pasta
*2 carrots, peeled and sliced in small disks
*3 TBSP. salted butter, divided
*1/2 of a rotisserie chicken, shredded
*1/4 c. pesto (store-bought is great, too)
*1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, shredded

Cook pasta according to package. Meanwhile, melt 1 TBSP. butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add carrots and cook a few minutes more. Add chicken and stir to combine and warm. Add pesto and toss to coat. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add remaining 2 TBSP. butter and Parmesan cheese and toss. Season with fresh-ground black pepper if desired. Serve pasta topped with chicken mixture. Top with fresh basil and drizzle with olive oil.

Cauliflower and Chickpea Stew

2011-07-15T05:57:00.000-07:00

I'd seen this recipe a while back and when I saw cauliflower on sale at my market this week it reminded me I wanted to try it. But when I found the recipe online, the reviews were mixed. I took a bunch of the suggestions to tweak it a bit. The whole family loved the end result and it was so easy!

*2 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
*1/2 medium onion, diced
*1 tsp. ground cumin
*1/2 tsp. ground ginger

*1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
*1/2 head of cauliflower, cored and cut into small florets
*1/4 tsp. kosher salt
*1/4 tsp. black pepper
*1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, with garlic
*1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
*1/2 c. raisins
*1 cup baby spinach
*Parmesan cheese, optional
*1 c. couscous
*1 c. vegetable broth

In a saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook a few minutes until tender. Add cumin, ginger, and red pepper; stir to combine and cook another minute until fragrant. Add cauliflower and continue to saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes (I mashed mine a bit), chickpeas, salt and pepper. Simmer over medium-low for 15 minutes. Just before serving, stir in spinach and raisins. Meanwhile, put couscous in a large bowl and heat the broth until hot. Pour broth over couscous and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit 5 minutes, then use a fork to fluff and serve. Put a pile of couscous on the plate and spoon the stew on top. Top with Parmesan if desired.

This is a very good and good-for-you 30-minute meal.

Watermelon Granitas

2011-07-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

Shared this with my book club last night and the ladies agreed it makes for a very refreshing treat. These granitas are very simple to make and you can use any melon you'd like (but I've only used watermelon).

*1/2 c. water
*1/2 c. sugar
*3 lbs. watermelon

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over med-high heat. Reduce heat and stir will until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Meanwhile, remove the rind and seeds from melon; cut into 1" cubes. Put melon cubes and syrup into food processor and puree. Strain out solids and pour into a metal loaf pan. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and place (carefully) into freezer. Freeze at least 4 hours until firm or a couple days.
To serve, remove pan from freezer and let stand at room temperature 5-10 minutes. Then use the tip of a fork to scrape the surface (rotating directions works well) to create 'shaved ice'. Divide and enjoy!
This amount will serve 6-10 depending on how full you fill the cups.

Creamy Black Bean Burritos

2011-06-07T18:46:00.000-07:00

I adapted a recipe from Everyday Food to come up with this dinner.

*2 c. lowfat (1%) cottage cheese
*1/2 tsp. onion powder
*1/2 tsp. garlic powder
*1/4 c. cilantro leaves
*1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
*2 c. black beans, cooked, drained rinsed
*12-ish corn tortillas

In a food processor, process cottage cheese until smooth. Add onion and garlic powder, cilantro and red pepper flakes; process. Stir in black beans. Microwave tortillas to soften and lightly spray each with cooking spray before filling with a couple tablespoons of filling. Roll and place seam side down on a baking sheet. Cover with enchilada sauce and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes until warm throughout.

Salsa

2011-06-05T19:32:00.000-07:00

Grabbed this recipe from Pioneer Woman...and love it! I usually make a batch a week and use it in soups, burritos, and to dip.

*28 oz. canned tomatoes with juice

*20 oz. Rotel (original)

*1/4 c. chopped onion

*1 clove garlic, minced

*1 jalapeno, sliced thin (I like heat but sometimes if the peppers are hot, this may be too much...)

*1/4 tsp. sugar

*1/4 tsp. cumin (I use about twice this)

*1/4 tsp. salt

*1/2 c. cilantro

*1/2 lime, juiced

Put it all in your food processor and pulse until it reaches the consistency you like.

Hint: If you've got the ingredients and cutting board out, here's a way to make this a little easier for your next batches. Grab a couple onions, several peppers and garlic along with the bunch of cilantro. Chop/slice/mince all of it. Put a few squares of plastic wrap out on the counter and pile up enough of each to make one batch (or even half of this recipe) on each square. You could even freeze the lime juice in an ice cube tray and add the cube to the pile. Fold over the plastic to wrap each 'packet' up and put all of the packets into a zip-top bag and put in the freezer. Then the next time you're craving salsa all you'll have to do is open a couple cans of tomato, throw in the frozen packet and seasonings and you're done.

Mini Chocolate Mocha Cheesecakes

2011-06-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

I pulled this recipe from last month's Everyday Food magazine and we loved every last bite. I wasn't able to find the wafer cookies so I made made these.

*2 c. nonfat cottage cheese

*2 large eggs

*1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

*1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

*1 TBSP + 1 1/2 tsp. all-purpose flour

*1 1/2 tsp. instant espresso powder (could be optional)

*1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

*9 Famous chocolate wafer cookies

Preheat oven to 275. Line 9 standard muffin cups with cupcake liners (I recommend the foil ones and I had enough filling for 10 cups). In a food processor, combine cottage cheese, eggs, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, flour, espresso powder and vanilla. Process until smooth, about 4 minutes, scraping down sides as needed. Divide mixture among cups and place 1 cookie on top of each. Bake until fillings are set and cookies soften, 25-30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature in pan on a wire rack, then refrigerate at least 1 1/2 hours (or, covered, up to 3 days). To serve, invert cheesecakes onto plates and peel off liners. Could top with whipped cream.

So, not only are these simple to make (especially if you aren't making the cookies, too), but here's how the nutrition looks per cheesecake: 174 cal; 2 g fat; 9 g protein; 30 g carb; 1 g fiber. It's practically health food...delicious health food!

Tailgate Chicken Sandwiches

2011-05-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I think Guy Fieri and Alton Brown are single-handedly trying to take over Food Network, and I'm ok with that because they both share some awesome recipes with their viewers. This is one of those recipes that seems almost too strange to work, but boy does it ever. We made these at a campout, but I'd do them again on the grill or in the oven for a fun hot-sandwich meal.

*2 oz. olive oil

*1 c. julienned red onion

*1 TBSP. minced jalepeno

*1/2 c. roasted red pepper, julienned

*1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

*1/4 tsp. sea salt

*1 tsp. black pepper

*1 TBSP. chopped garlic

*2 TBSP. chopped cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish

*2 TBSP. grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

*5 oz. mozzarella, shredded

*4 oz. cream cheese, softened

*4 TBSP. lime juice

*3 oz. tequila

*1/4 c. diced Roma tomato, for garnish

*4 sourdough hoagie rolls, warmed (I toasted them)

Layer 2 15-inch sheets of aluminum foil and fold 1/4 inch along sides to create one sheet. Repeat with another 2 sheets to make 2 double foiled sheets. Bend the edges of one of the sheets up 2 inches to help keep the liquid in the foil.

On a double sheet of foil, layer the ingredients in this order: oil, onions, jalepeno, red peppers, chicken, salt and pepper, garlic, cilantro, cheeses, juice and tequila. Put the second foil layer on top of the first, fold edges in 1/4-inch folds 4 times. When all sides are folded together make sure nothing is leaking and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Preheat oven or grill to 250. Remove pouch from fridge and grill, being very careful not to puncture pouch. Grill for 10 minutes, flip and grill another 10 minutes. Remove pouch from grill, slice open, and garnish with tomatoes, cilantro, and Parmesan. Divide between rolls and serve.

hmm..this photo in no way shows how delicious these sandwiches were...

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-05-23T18:35:00.000-07:00

If the bean idea in the last post didn't make you turn away, I thought I'd post a couple of the treat recipes I use them in. Carlee and I have an ongoing discussion about the irony of 'healthy desserts', so my disclaimer is this: if you love a good Otis Spunkmeyer or can't imagine life without the Toll House recipe, stick with those and enjoy them for the delicious flavor they bring. If you love snacking and wouldn't mind having a slightly-better-for-you option, read below.

*1/2 c. beans, cooked, rinsed and drained
*1/2 c. + 2 TBSP. room temperature butter (or butter shortening)
*1/2 c. sugar
*1 c. brown sugar
*2 large eggs
*2 tsp. vanilla
*1 tsp. baking soda
*1 tsp. salt
*3 c. flour (I use 2 c. wheat + 1 c. white, but mix and match as you please)
*2 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Cream together beans, butter, and sugars. Blend in eggs and add vanilla. Stir in baking soda, salt and flour; mix well to combine. Add chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoon onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375 for 11-13 minutes.

Oatmeal Cookies

2011-05-21T18:46:00.000-07:00

These are my husband's favorite cookie to have around. The batter freezes well so I usually make a double batch, freeze the scoops and then bake about 2 dozen at a time.

*1 c. brown sugar
*1/2 c. white beans
*1/4 c. Crisco
*1/2 c. sugar
*1 egg
*1/4 c. water
*1 tsp. vanilla
*3 c. regular oatmeal
*3/4 c. wheat flour + 1/4 c. white flour
*1 tsp. salt
*1/2 tsp. baking soda
*2 TBSP. ground flax
*1/2 tsp. cinnamon
*1 c. raisins (or craisins, or chocolate chips)

Beat sugars, beans and shortening until creamy. Add egg, water and vanilla; beat well. Combine oats, flours, salt, baking soda and flax. Add to creamed mixture and mix well. Add raisins. Drop by tablespoon onto parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 11-13 minutes. Store in covered container, preferably glass.

Creamy Asparagus Soup

2011-05-18T18:27:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I saw a similar recipe in a magazine or a blog, but when I went to make it I couldn't find it, so here's what I did and we loved it. This soup is very light and would make a great starter or main course.

*1 TBSP. olive oil

*1 TBSP. butter

*1 onion, chopped

*1 clove garlic, sliced

*1 large bunch asparagus

*3 c. white beans, cooked, drained, rinsed (I think that is about 2 cans)

*5 c. chicken (or vegetable) broth

*1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

*1/4 c. cottage cheese (or cream cheese)

*5 slices bacon

*Parmesan cheese, shredded for garnish

In a soup pot, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sautee for 2-3 minutes to soften. Cut tough ends off asparagus and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add to onion mixture and cook another 3-5 minutes. Add beans, broth, pepper flakes and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Use your (immersion) blender to puree soup. Add cottage (or cream) cheese and puree or stir well. Cook bacon and crumble to serve on top with Parmesan cheese and fresh ground pepper. I think the one I had seen used the asparagus tips as a garnish, but I forgot to reserve them and they became part of the soup instead.

White Beans

2011-05-17T15:17:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I haven't been posting as much lately is because I don't know how appetizing a lot of the food we've been eating around here would seem to most. We've been working our bodies a bit more than normal and thinking more about what we put back in them. But to keep track of what my favorites have been, I'm going to post some of them anyway.
One of my favorite healthier food tricks is replacing oil/butter with beans for baking. I know many have heard of substituting applesauce for oil, but we get plenty of apples in our diet and I love the protein/fiber the beans add. Once a month I cook up a couple pounds of small white beans and make liquid and solid oil replacements.

*Cook beans according to package instructions (I try to get them a bit softer than you'd normally have them to eat). I use my electric pressure cooker and use no seasoning. When done rinse and drain.
*The whole beans can be used as a 1:1 substitute for solid oils like shortenings and softened butter. So I measure out commonly used amounts into small baggies and freeze them. For example, my chocolate chip cookie recipe uses 1/2 c. beans, so I pre-portion several 1/2 c. and a few 1/3 c.
*Take the rest of the beans and puree them with enough water to get an oil consistency. This puree can be used 1:1 for oil or melted butter. I then measure this puree into baggies for freezing as well. My zucchini muffins take 1 c., oatmeal-wheat pancakes take 1/6-1/3 c., brownies will take 1/4-1/2c.
*Make sure to clearly label each baggie with the amount inside. I keep them in an ice-cube box in my freezer. When you need to use them, just thaw and use as recipe directs.
*Note: some things like olive oil have such a distinctive taste you may want to only do a partial substitution, also, if you're making butter cookies or shortbread where you really need the full-butter taste, stick with the butter.
I know it sounds strange, but really if you try it in a dessert I would bet you won't even notice.

Hummus - Favorite Version

2011-05-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

I've posted some hummus recipes in the past, but have finally finished tweaking this to suit our taste.

*1 1/2 c. chickpeas, cooked, rinsed, drained
*3 cloves garlic, peeled (if you don't love fresh garlic taste, simmer in water for a few minutes on medium)
*1/2 TBSP. fresh chopped parsley
*1 tsp. lemon juice
*2 TBSP. tahini
*1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
*1/4-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
*1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
*1/4-1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor, combine chickpeas and garlic and pulse to make a paste. Add parsley, lemon juice, tahini, pepper, cumin, and salt. Pulse to combine. Drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency. If you plan to refrigerate this before serving you may want to add more oil because it will firm up. Enjoy on pita chips, as a spread on sandwiches or on a toasted bagel.

The Best Dinner Rolls

2011-04-21T20:30:00.000-07:00

This is my new go-to recipe for dinner rolls. One of my sisters said they remind her of the rolls at our elementary school, another said they were worth the carbs, and even my father-in-law loved them. They have even replaced these on our Thanksgiving table this year.
Total time was about 3 1/2 hours and the recipe makes about 40 rolls. If this is more than you need, make the full batch. Let any leftovers cool, wrap tightly in foil and freeze. Thaw at room temperature and reheat in a 350 degree oven.

*2 pkg. active dry yeast (1 1/2 tsp)
*Pinch of sugar
*2 c. warm water
*2 eggs beaten
*1/2 c. sugar
*1/2 c. canola or corn oil
*2 tsp. salt
*6-7 c. all-purpose flour

Proof the yeast with sugar in water for 5-10 minutes until it 'blooms' and bubbles.Whisk eggs, 1/2 c. sugar, oil and salt together in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture, whisk to combine.
Stir 3 c. flour into the egg mixture using a wooden spoon. Add more flour, 1/2 c. at a time; you may not need it all. When dough becomes to stiff to stir, turn it out onto a floured work surface and knead by hand.
Knead until dough is smooth but still soft, adding flour a little at a time if dough is too sticky. Place dough in a bowl coated with non-stick spray. Cover dough with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until it's doubled in size, 1 - 1 1/2 hours.Punch down dough and gather into a ball. With floured hands, shape pieces of dough into balls (mine were 2 oz. and slightly bigger than golf ball size).Arrange rolls about 1/2 inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover rolls with a towel and let rise again until they're doubled, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Bake rolls 25-30 minutes, until golden. Brush with about 1/2 cube of melted butter and sprinkle with finely chopped fresh rosemary (or Parmesan cheese, or sea salt, or fresh herbs of your choice).
Sorry I couldn't find the picture of the final rolls...

Balsamic-Rosemary Vinaigrette

2011-04-11T15:01:00.000-07:00

Here's the recipe for my new favorite salad dressing/marinade. I had pulled it from the March '09 edition of Everyday Food but only found it and started using it.

*1/3 c. balsamic vinegar
*1 TBSP. Dijon mustard
*1 small garlic clove
*1 TBSP fresh rosemary leaves (1/4 tsp. dried)
*2 TBSP water
*1/2 tsp. coarse salt
*1/4 tsp. ground pepper
*1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil

In a blender, combine all ingredients except olive oil, and blend until smooth. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a thin stream; blend until creamy. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Makes 3/4 c.
I love this on arugula/spinach mix with some garbanzo beans and Parmesan cheese.
It also makes for a great marinade for pork chops. Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper, cover with vinaigrette, cover and refrigerate 1-24 hrs. Remove pork from marinade and broil or grill until cooked throughout. Let rest and enjoy!

Kidtini

2011-04-07T07:26:00.000-07:00

So we found an eclectic restaurant in SLC that beguiled us with their house mocktail, the kidtini. It was such a great start to our meal that I really wanted to recreate it at home.

*1/4 oz. black currant juice

*splash orange juice

*splash cranberry juice

*splash blackberry syrup

*San Pellegrino

Mix juices and syrup, top off with chilled San Pellegrino. Shake/stir to taste. I usually add a splash of simple syrup. Pour into a sugar-rimmed glass and enjoy!

Shepherd's Pie

2011-04-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

The man of this house is always asking for shepherd's pie, but since I'm not a huge fan of the dish, he only gets it at Irish restaurants. This year I decided to surprise him for St. Patrick's Day and went to work finding a good recipe. I thought it would be fun to make this in individual ramekins. If you do the same it should fill about eight of them depending on size.

Garlic-Potato Topping:

*4 large russett potatoes

*10 cloves garlic, peeled

*1/2 c. sour cream

*1/4-1/2 c. beef broth

*4 TBSP. butter, softened

*1/2 tsp. salt

*1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Filling:

*4 slices bacon, cut into thin strips

*1 TBSP. vegetable oil (I didn't use this)

*2 medium onions, chopped

*1/2 tsp. salt

*1 tsp. sugar

*1 lb. ground beef (I know, true shepherd's pie is made with lamb, but the recipe called for beef and I had beef)

*2-3 medium carrots, rough chopped

*2 garlic cloves, minced

*2 TBSP. tomato paste

*1 TBSP. flour

*12 oz. beer

*1/2 c. beef broth

*1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

*1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

*3/4 c. frozen peas

*1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 and spray 10-inch round baking dish, or ramekins, with cooking spray.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp, 5-7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel and set aside.

Add onions and 1/2 tsp. salt to bacon drippings in skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in sugar and cook until onions begin to caramelize. Stir in the beef and cook on medium-high heat until beef begins to brown (Carlee often uses leftover roast beef here). Add carrots and garlic and cook until carrots begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and flour and cook another 2 minutes. Add beer, bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon to scrape up bits from bottom of pan. Add bacon, broth, rosemary, salt, pepper and peas and simmer until sauce thickens about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, add potatoes and garlic, cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, uncovered, until fork-tender (15-20 min). Drain. Transfer to a large bowl (or use a potato ricer). Add sour cream, butter, 1/4 c. broth, salt and pepper, and mix with mixer until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. If mixture is too dry, add remaining 1/4 c. broth. Cover and set aside.

Spoon meat mixture into prepared dishes and spread potato mixture evenly over top. Bake until the filling is hot and topping is lightly browned and the edges are bubbly, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with cheese, and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Orzo with Cilantro-Lime Pesto

2011-04-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

We've been trying to cut back a bit on dairy and have been 'forced' to get creative in what we eat. Seriously, 90% of our meals have some form of cheese in them. Turns out people who don't eat dairy still eat great food. Here's one that we loved.

1/4 c. (2 ounces) uncooked whole-grain orzo (rice-shaped pasta)

1 c. fresh cilantro
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp. olive oil
1 TBSP. pine nuts
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c. canned black beans, rinsed, drained (or 2-oz. cooked salmon or tuna)
1/4 c. chopped roasted red peppers (in a jar packed with water)
1/4 c. corn kernels (I had frozen and just thawed them with no heat)

Cook orzo according to package directions. In a food processor, puree cilantro, lime juice, oil, pine nuts and garlic to make pesto. Toss cooked orzo with pesto and remaining ingredients and serve.

I first ate this warm and loved it, but it was yummy the next day as a cold lunch salad.

Cheddar Vegetable Soup

2011-02-07T14:04:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite comfort soups. Don't let the title fool you because you can barely taste the vegetables with all the yummy cheesiness.
Veggie Base:
*1 TBSP. unsalted butter
*1 carrot, julienned*
*1/2 onion, diced
*1 celery stalk, diced
*1 potato, peeled and cubed (1/2")
*2 1/2 c. chicken (or vegetable) broth
Cheesy Mixture:
*3 TBSP. unsalted butter
*4 TBSP. flour
*1/2 tsp. ground dry mustard
*1/2 tsp. ground pepper
*2 c. milk (if you're feeling naughty replace 1/4 c. with heavy cream)
*2 c. cheddar cheese, grated
*2 TBSP. flour

In a stock pot heat 1 TBSP. butter over medium heat. Add carrot, onion, celery and saute for about 2 minutes. Add broth and potato, simmer about 15 minutes, until potatoes are soft.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat 3 TBSP. butter over medium-low heat, whisk in flour and dry mustard and continue whisking until flour is cooked through and mixture forms a thick paste. Add pepper and milk(cream), increase heat to medium/medium-high and cook, stirring, until mixture gets thick (can take 5-10 minutes). When it is thick, slowly whisk it into the vegetable soup pot. Stir to combine well and continue to thicken. Toss grated cheese with 2 TBSP. flour (this will keep the cheese from being grainy/stringy). Remove soup from heat and slowly add cheese while stirring.

Spaghetti Carbonara

2011-02-05T20:24:00.000-08:00

I don't think there is anything fancy about this recipe. I got it from a neighbor a few years ago, but I just did a search and a dozen sites all list the same basic proportions. Here's how I do it.

*1 lb. dried spaghetti

*olive oil

*1/2 lb. bacon, diced

*1/2 onion, chopped

*2 cloves garlic, minced

*4 eggs

*1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

*salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

*2 TBSP. fresh parsley, chopped

In a large pot of boiling salt water, cook spaghetti to al dente, drain and toss with 1/2 TBSP. olive oil. Meanwhile in a skillet, cook bacon until slightly crisp. Remove bacon to paper towel to drain. Drain all but 1 TBSP bacon grease. Add 1 TBSP. olive oil, add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic, stir and cook another minute. Add cooked bacon and drained spaghetti noodles. Toss to coat and heat through. In a bowl, beat eggs and 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese. Slowly add to noodles while tossing with tongs until the eggs coat the noodles, but don't scramble. Add pepper and salt, if needed. Top with parsley and Parmesan and serve immediately.

Cake Mix Cookies

2011-02-03T15:14:00.000-08:00

So I've seen recipes posted for these cookies before, but never got around to making them until I needed a quick treat to take to some neighbors. Something about cake mix + eggs + oil = cookies appealed to me. I used a chocolate fudge cake mix and added about 3/4 c. chocolate chips. I must say the result was much better than the effort would lead you to believe.

*1 box cake mix
*2 large eggs
*1/2 c. canola oil
*3/4 c. add-ins (nuts, candy, chips, etc)

Mix all together, drop by tablespoons on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-13 minutes.

That's it.

Perfect Crispy Potatoes

2011-01-22T19:47:00.000-08:00

This recipe comes from Melissa d'Arabian.

*1/4 c. Canola oil

*3 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

*Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

*3 TBSP. water

*1 TBSP. unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large saute pan heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the potato cubes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Saute, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.

Turn up the heat to high, add the water, stir and cover pan with a lid. Steam the potatoes until the water evaporates, about 4 minutes. Open the lid every 1-2 minutes to stir so the potatoes don't stick to the bottom. Lower the heat to medium and continue to saute until all traces of water are gone. Toss in the butter and stir to coat all the potatoes. Spread the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until crisp and browned to your liking, 15-25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

I wasn't fast enough to get a photo, and this was all that was left...

Crispy Skinned Chicken a la'Orange

2011-01-21T19:29:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of The Next Food Network Star. For some reason I'm often frustrated by who is chosen as winner and don't tune in to watch the coveted new show. That said, I usually pull a few recipes from the *Star* and this one was so good. She served it with these and so did I.

*3 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts halves

*1 TBSP. olive oil

*1/2 c. frozen orange juice concentrate

*4 TBSP. honey

*Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375.

Liberally salt and pepper chicken breast halves. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat and sear the chicken, skin side only, until brown and beginning to crisp, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the orange glaze: in a small saucepan, heat the orange juice concentrate, honey and salt and pepper to taste, over medium heat and boil about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Turn the chicken over and brush each piece with glaze. Turn the chicken skin side up and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake to internal temperature of 160-170. Brush more glaze on halfway through cooking, about 15 minutes total. Let chicken rest 10 minutes. Remove chicken bone and cut on a bias.

Bacon-wrapped Chicken Tenders

2011-01-16T17:01:00.000-08:00

I finally had a few minutes to catch up on reading some of my cooking magazines and made this the same night I pulled it out of Everyday Food. There was a whole section on bacon and since I'm a fan, you'll see a few more recipes posted before too long. This was finished in less than 20 minutes for me...YEAH!

*8 fresh sage leaves (my plant is still going strong, so if you live nearby, stop by for some leaves)

*8 chicken tenders

*8 slices bacon

*1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Place a sage leaf on each chicken tender, then wrap each with a bacon slice. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high (I skipped the oil because was all know the bacon has plenty...just preheated the pan). Add tenders, sage side down, and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is browned, about 6 minutes (mine only took about 3-4 min on each side). Flip and cook until tenders are cooked through. With tongs, transfer to a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet to drain. Since mine cooked faster than I expected I was still waiting on my roasted potatoes, and just put the baking sheet in the oven (450) for about 5 minutes and even though I worried it might dry out the chicken, bless that bacon if it didn't keep it deliciously moist. My 5yo told me she LOVED this chicken and could I make it again soon.

Raspberry Honey Butter

2011-01-13T13:29:00.000-08:00

My friend Lindsay came through with this YUMMY honey-butter that is delicious on warm bread or rolls...or straight from the spoon. Make sure the butter is good and soft to mix this right.
*2 cubes butter
*4 oz. honey
*4 oz. raspberry preserves
*1/2 tsp. vanilla

Whip the butter and honey so it's good and fluffy. Add raspberry preserves and vanilla. ENJOY!

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2011-01-04T20:31:00.000-08:00

I love when a little bit of planning works to my advantage (this doesn't happen often enough to note, but tonight it did). A couple weeks ago, I was cooking some wild rice and decided to cook a lot more and freeze what I didn't use that night. I just let it cool and froze it in 2c. increments in ziptop bags. I also had some rotisserie chicken in the fridge so here's what I put together for dinner.

*1 TBSP. olive oil

*1/2 c. onion, diced

*1 stalk celery, finely diced

*1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded

*4 c. chicken broth

*2 c. wild rice, cooked (this would be about 3/4c. dry rice)

*1 1/2 c. rotisserie chicken, shredded

*1/2 tsp. pepper

*1/4 tsp. sea salt

*1/4 c. butter

*3/8 c. flour

*2 c. milk

*1 TBSP. bouillon (I'm using Better than Bouillon these days)

In a stock pot, heat oil over medium and add celery onion and carrot, saute for about five minutes. Add chicken broth, rice, chicken, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer another five to ten minutes. In another pan, melt butter on medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and stir, cooking another two minutes. Whisk in milk and bouillon, cooking until thickened. Stir milk mixture into rice soup and stir until well-combined. We enjoyed it with some French bread my sister brought by.

Breakfast Quinoa

2010-12-16T20:16:00.000-08:00

I've been scrambling this past week. I don't even know how we made it to the middle of December. I've had a few too many days of leaving early and not getting back until late (as in I felt so good yesterday when my sister told me I looked exhausted), which has reminded me how important a solid breakfast is. This recipe comes from Martha's Living and is a great alternative to oatmeal for me.

*2 c. low-fat milk, plus more for serving

*1 c. quinoa, rinsed

*3 TBSP. brown sugar, plus more for serving

*1/8 tsp. cinnamon, plus more for serving

*1/2 pint fresh blueberries (we've been using dried and I'm sure frozen would work as well)

Bring milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Add quinoa, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, until three-quarters of the milk has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Stir in sugar and cinnamon. Cook, covered, until almost all the milk has been absorbed, about 8 minutes. Stir in blueberries, and cook for 30 seconds. Serve with additional milk, sugar, cinnamon, and blueberries if desired.

Enjoy and since odds are this blog will be neglected for a few weeks, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

2010-12-06T18:37:00.000-08:00

I had a meal idea for tonight, but when I saw this pop up in my reader, I knew I had to change plans. This soup is much easier to make than my other favorite butternut squash soup and was SO delicious I intend to put it on a regular rotation.

*2 TBSP. butter
*1/2 c. chopped onions
*2 c. water
*4 chicken bouillon cubes (I used 4 tsp. Better than Bouillon)
*1 (2 lb.) butternut squash, peeled and cubed
*1/2 tsp. dried thyme
*1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
*1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
*8 oz. cream cheese, cubed

In a skillet on stove, saute onions in butter over medium heat until onions are translucent; remove from heat. Combine water, bouillon, squash, thyme, and peppers in a 4 qt. slow-cooker. Add the onions; stir. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. About 40 minutes before serving, puree soup with an immersion blender or working in batches using your blender. Return to slow-cooker, whisk in cream cheese. Whisk occasionally over next 30 minutes to make sure it is creamy (I only used about 6 oz, and didn't think it was missing anything). The recipe said it would serve 6, but my husband and I ate all but two small bowls for the girls. You'll be very happy if you serve this with some warm French bread.

Spaghetti with Browned Butter & Mizithra

2010-12-05T20:18:00.000-08:00

Anyone who has tried this dish at The Spaghetti Factory can understand the delicious comfort that comes from this simple pasta dish. I picked up some Myzithra cheese at the store last week and couldn't wait to use it in this dish.

*1 cube butter

*1/2 lb. spaghetti

*1 c. mizithra cheese, grated

In a large pan, cook spaghetti as directed. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until it reaches a slow boil. Stir constantly as it starts to foam, continue for about two minutes, until the butter starts changing to a brown color and smells nutty. Remove from heat and strain the solids from the butter. Drain pasta, return to pan and toss with butter. Divide pasta among four dishes and top each with 1/4 c. cheese.

Cranberry French Toast Casserole

2010-11-23T20:00:00.000-08:00

This is a Thanksgiving breakfast tradition at our house--my husband requests it each year as the half-time menu for his beloved Turkey Bowl. It's nice because most of us don't get enough carbs or cream in the main Thanksgiving meal!

*14 slices white bread

*1 8-oz package cream cheese

*1 c. dried cranberries

*1 TBSP. sugar, optional if using sweetened cranberries

*8 eggs

*2 c. milk

*1/2 c. maple syrup

*1/2 tsp. cinnamon, divided

Cut bread into 3/4-inch cubes. Arrange half of the bread in a single layer in a greased 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Cut the cream cheese into 1/2-inch cubes. Arrange on top of bread in dish . Combine cranberries and sugar and then sprinkle over bread and cream cheese.

Top with the remaining bread cubes.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, maple syrup and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, and pour evenly over bread mixture in pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Cover with foil and chill overnight. In the morning remove from fridge and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake another 20 minutes. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with maple syrup.

Pumpkin Cookies with Penuche Frosting

2010-11-22T12:58:00.000-08:00

These cookies were among the dessert offerings at a recent church get-together. I could have eaten half the plate, but was happy to take home the recipe instead.

*1/2 c. sugar

*1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar

*1 c. butter or margarine, softened

*1 c. canned pumpkin

*1 tsp. vanilla

*1 egg

*2 c. flour

*1 tsp. baking powder

*1 tsp. baking soda

*1 tsp. cinnamon

*1/4 tsp. salt

*3/4 c. chopped nuts (which I'm guessing are optional since they hadn't been added)

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl combine sugars and butter until fluffy. Add pumpkin, vanilla and egg, mixing well. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Stir in nuts. Drop by teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool.

Frosting:

3 TBSP. butter or margarine

*1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar

*1/4 c. milk

*1 1/2-2 c. powdered sugar

In a sauce pan, combine margarine and brown sugar, bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Cool 10 minutes, whisk occasionally. Add milk and beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar until desired thickness. Frost cookies. And the cookie I tried had a nice big pecan on top, but these don't.

Thai Honey Peanut Chicken

2010-11-17T18:14:00.000-08:00

We quite enjoy Thai food so anytime I see a recipe that looks tasty and quick, I flag it for dinner one one of those nights. This recipe did not disappoint. The marinade was easy to put together and put in the fridge while we were out and about and then took about 10 minutes to get on the table when we were ready.

*1 lb. chicken tenders or breast, cut into chunks

*1/4 c. soy sauce

*2 TBSP. honey

*1 TBSP. lime juice

*2 cloves garlic, minced

*1 1/2 TBSP. natural peanut butter (if using regular PB only use 1 TBSP. honey)

*1/2 tsp. curry powder

*2 tsp. Thai sweet chili sauce

*1/2-1 c. fresh or pre-cooked sliced veggies (I used peppers, but snap peas would be yummy)

Mix all ingredients and marinade chicken in fridge for 2-3 hours.

Cook chicken in the sauce over medium-high heat for about 7-8 minutes, until chicken is done. Add veggies and cook another minute or so. Top with sesame seeds, chopped peanuts and chopped cilantro.

Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili

2010-11-15T18:25:00.000-08:00

Always glad to find a slow-cooker recipe that can be prepped before the after-school business kicks in. Even though the pumpkin wasn't as hidden as my kids might have hoped, this recipe was good. Next time I make it I will use 2 c. dried beans instead and add 2 c. water to cook all day.

*1 medium onion, chopped

*1 sweet yellow pepper, chopped

*2 TBSP. olive oil

*4 cloves garlic, minced

*3 c. chicken broth

*2 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained

*2 1/2 c. cooked chicken or turkey (rotisserie is good)

*15 oz. solid-pack pumpkin

*14 oz. diced or crushed tomatoes

*2 tsp. parsley

*2 tsp. chili powder

*1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

*1 1/2 tsp. cumin

*1/2 tsp. salt

In a large skillet, saute onion and pepper in oil over medium-high heat for a couple minutes, until tender. Add garlic and cook another minute. Transfer to a 5-quart slow-cooker and stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours until heated through.

Oatmeal Waffles

2010-11-11T12:01:00.000-08:00

I'm not a huge fan of traditional oatmeal. I've tried different brands, different cooking methods, different flavor add-ins to no avail. So while the rest of my family downs their morning bowls, I look for other ways for me to get the health benefits from this high fiber/protein/heart-healthy/B-vitamin/complex-carbohydrate grain. I've tried this and this and my personal favorite this. But when I saw Alton Brown dedicate two full episodes to oat goodness, I was happy to glean a few recipes. These oatmeal waffles are DELICIOUS and unlike most whole-grain waffles that can leave a heavy feeling in your belly, you'll want several plates of these. The recipe might seem a little more complicated than opening a bag of pancake mix, but so worth the effort.

*2 c. buttermilk, room temperature

*5.5 oz. old fashioned rolled oats

*4 oz. all-purpose flour

*3 TBSP. sugar

*1 tsp. baking powder

*1 tsp. Kosher salt

*1/2 tsp. baking soda

*3 large eggs, beaten

*2 oz. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Heat a 10-inch saute pan over medium heat. Add the oats and cook, stirring, until toasted (about 3 min.). Cool the oats in the pan for 2-3 minutes. Grind the toasted oats in a food processor until they reach the consistency of whole-wheat flour.

Heat your waffle iron.

Whisk together the oat flour, AP flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and melted butter; then add the buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined. Let rest 5 minutes. Ladle and cook according to waffle iron recommendations, until golden brown. Top as desired to eat immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree oven. This makes enough for about 4 people.

You can easily mix the dry ingredients the night before and put your buttermilk out on the counter overnight (Alton assures me that the buttermilk is so acidic that no bacteria can grow in it even if unrefrigerated for a night) which will make it a lot faster to prepare for breakfast.

Cranberry Granola Bars

2010-11-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

These granola bars are as easy to make as they are good for you. My 5yo asks for one as a snack just about every day. I keep them in a zip-top bag in the fridge or freezer for an easy and pretty good-for-you snack.

*5 TBSP. honey

*3 TBSP. brown sugar

*1 TBSP. corn syrup (optional, but helps those of us at high altitude)

*1 TBSP. canola oil

*1 c. natural peanut butter

*1 tsp. vanilla

*pinch of sea salt

*3 TBSP. ground flax seed

*1 1/2 c. old fashioned oats

*1 1/2 c. rice cereal

*1/2 - 1 c. dried cranberries

*1/2 c. mini chocolate chips, if desired

Lightly spray muffin tins (makes about 24) with cooking spray, set aside. In a saucepan, warm the honey and sugar(s) over low heat, stir until smooth. Remove from heat and add the oil, peanut butter and vanilla, stir well and allow to cool slightly. Stir in flax, oats, rice cereal, cranberries and chocolate chips. Scoop about 2-3 TBSP. into each muffin spot and press firmly. (I use a 2 TBSP. scoop and fill it heaping, then cover each tray with plastic wrap and use the bottom of one tray to squish the granola in the other tray.) When tray is full, cover with plastic wrap and put in freezer for at least a couple of hours. Remove from trays and store in a zip-top bag in the fridge until ready to eat.

Cheesecake-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes

2010-11-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from Rachael Ray. I made them for a family holiday party and thought they were very tasty. They were a good not-too-sweet dessert without the frosting.

*1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temp

*1/2 c. powdered sugar

*2 large eggs, plus 5 large egg whites

*2 tsp. vanilla extract

*1 1/2 c. flour

*2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

*1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

*3/4 tsp. salt

*1 c. pumpkin puree

*1 c. sugar

*1/2 c. vegetable oil

*1 c. brown sugar

*simmering water

*12 oz. unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces, chilled

Place rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with baking liners. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar for 3 minutes. Beat in 1 egg white and 1/2 tsp vanilla.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt. In another bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, sugar, oil and 1 tsp. vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture.

Layer each muffin cup with some of the pumpkin batter, then the cream cheese mixture, then more of the batter.

Bake until springy to the touch, 25 minutes. Let cool.

Using an electric mixer, beat the brown sugar, 4 egg whites and 1/4 tsp. salt. Fill a medium saucepan with enough simmering water to reach a depth of 1 inch. Place the mixing bowl on top. Whisk the mixture until it registers 160 degrees. Transfer the bowl back to the mixer and beat at high speed until fluffy; lower the speed and beat to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, 1 TBSP. at a time; then beat at high speed for 5 minutes. Beat in the remaining 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag; pipe large rosettes on top of the cupcakes.

I was serving these as more of a muffin, so I didn't add the frosting and they were still delicious.

Roasted Red Peppers

2010-10-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

If your pepper crop did better than mine this year (or if you're finding red peppers ridiculously cheap at market) here's one of my favorite things to do with them--roasting them. It is very easy and much cheaper than the little jars at the store.

Wash peppers. Cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds and ribs. Line a baking sheet with foil and preheat the broiler on your oven. Lay pepper halves skin side up on foil and broil until good and charred, about 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool. Remove skin from peppers and use or freeze.

Whole-Wheat Pasta with Pumpkin-Seed and Spinach Pesto

2010-10-07T18:39:00.000-07:00

This weekend I finally went through the stacks of recipes I've pulled from magazines and found homes for each of them in my binders. This was a good one I was glad to rediscover. I was fairly distracted while I was prepping dinner, so below is how I made it. Three of us loved it; since my five-year-old still has an aversion to green things, I didn't take it too personally when she only ate one bite.

*12 oz. dried whole-wheat rotini pasta

*2/3 c. fulled pumpkin seeds, toasted

*1/3 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley

*1 TBSP. coarsely chopped fresh chives

*1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

*1 garlic clove

*1 tsp. coarse salt

*1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

*1 tsp. lemon juice

*2 c. baby spinach, packed

*3/4 c. part-skim ricotta cheese, divided

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 c. cooking water.

Meanwhile, combine toasted pumpkkin seeds, parsley, chives, oil, garlic salt, lemon juice and zest, and spinach in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine and add about 1/2 c. ricotta; pulse again. Return pasta and pesto to pan and toss to combine, thinning with reserved pasta water as needed. Serve with a scoop of remaining ricotta on top and a sprinkle of Parmesan.

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

2010-10-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

My tomatoes finally decided conditions were ideal enough to turn red. I have been drying most, but decided to try my hand at canning them. I made a batch of tomato sauce the night before I saw this recipe post and decided it would be easier to use some of it than carry it downstairs to the fruit-room. I cut out a little of the fat, and we all still loved this dish.

*2 TBSP. olive oil

*1 TBSP. butter

*1 medium onion, finely diced

*4 cloves garlic, minced

*2 cans (15 oz. each) tomato sauce

*salt and pepper, to taste

*dash of sugar, to taste

*1/2 c. heavy cream

*Parmesan cheese, to taste (about 1/4 c.)

* Fresh basil, chopped

*1 1/2 pound fettuccine

Heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute. Pour in tomato sauce. Add salt, pepper and sugar. Stir and cook over low heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in cream and cheese. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Stir pasta into sauce and thin with water as desired. Add chopped basil and serve hot.

Grilled Chile-Lime Pork Sirloin

2010-10-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

I married a guy who loves steak but unfortunately for him, there isn't a whole lot of red meat in my kitchen. This is one of my favorite ways to get him a 'steak' dinner using the other white meat.

All it takes is a simple marinade, some good pork sirloin and a grill.

*1/4 c. lime juice

*zest from one lime

*1/8 c. olive oil

*2 TBSP. fresh cilantro, chopped

*1/2 tsp. sugar

*1/2 tsp. sea salt

*1 small jalapeno chile, seeded and finely chopped

*2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

*4 pork sirloin chops (about 1 lb.)

In a ziptop bag, combine ingredients and mix well. Add pork and refrigerate up to 24 hrs. Heat grill to cook over direct heat at a medium/medium-high. Grill meat until cooked through (about 155 degrees), let rest about 5 minutes. Pork sirloin is a lean cut, so it will dry out if on the grill too long.

Buttermilk Cornbread

2010-10-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

Fall is in the air here and a rainy day spurred the need for chili and bread sticks. But then the Crate and Barrel catalog showed up and there was a mix for buttermilk cornbread, which sounded perfect to go with the chili. I pulled and made this recipe and even my non-cornbread-liking husband ate and enjoyed 4 squares.

*1/2 c. butter

*2/3 c. sugar

*2 eggs

*1 c. buttermilk

*1/2 tsp. baking soda

*1 c. buttermilk

*1 c. wheat flour (or AP or blend)

*1 c. cornmeal

*1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 8x8 pan. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Whisk in eggs. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and add to butter mixture. Stir in flour, cornmeal and salt. Stir to combine, but there may be some lumps. Pour into pan, smooth top slightly and bake about 30 minutes until top is golden brown. Invert onto a cutting board and cut into squares. You'll want to serve this warm, with some butter and honey.

Incredible Cannelloni

2010-09-27T15:02:00.000-07:00

The TV gods added the Cooking Channel to my lineup and I was so excited I went nuts DVRing all sorts of shows. This recipe comes from Jamie Oliver, who I first fell in love with when he was doing his Naked Chef gig. I know the ingredient list might turn a few people off (normally myself included) but these are seriously incredible. Brett declared this may be one of the best pasta dishes he's ever eaten. I changed a few things from the original and was super happy with the results. This amount served our family of 4 perfectly.

*1/2 lb. broccoli

*1/2 lb. cauliflower

*Extra-virgin olive oil

*4 cloves garlic, sliced

*1/2 bunch thyme leaves

*1/2 oz. anchovies (stay with me here, and if you're scared of the fish, go with anchovy paste or skip)

*2 small dry red chilies, crumbled

*1/4 c. part-skim ricotta

*1/2 c. mozzarella, divided

*1c. tomato sauce

*1/2 tsp. pepper

*1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

*splash of red wine vinegar

*2 TBSP. butter

*2 TBSP. flour

*1 c. milk (or 3/4 c. milk +1/4 c. cream)

*1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, divided

*10 cannelloni shells

*basil

Cut up broccoli and cauliflower. Boil in salted water for 5 minutes. Reserve 1 c. water and drain. Heat saucepan and add olive oil and garlic, fry for a minute, then add thyme, anchovies, and chilies. Stir well and add broccoli and cauliflower and a few TBSP. reserved water. Stir well, cover loosely (leave a gap near the lid) and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove lid and cook another 5 minutes. Use a potato masher (or an immersion blender) to smash it up to a smooth-ish consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in ricotta and 1/8 c. mozzarella cheese. Spread out on a baking sheet to cool a bit. Meanwhile, lightly grease a baking pan. Combine tomato sauce, pepper, red pepper flakes and red wine vinegar and spread over bottom of pan. Fill zip top bag with cauliflower mix and snip off corner. Use bag to pipe filling into the cannelloni shells. There will be plenty of filling, so don't be stingy. Place filled shells on top of the tomato sauce close together. Put basil leaves on top of shells, maybe a leaf or so per shell.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and whisk until smooth and thickened. Pour in milk and increase heat to medium-high, whisk for about 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and add 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, whisk to combine. Pour over top of cannelloni. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and bake 30-40 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Pasta y Fagiole

2010-09-16T15:36:00.000-07:00

I fell in love with this Italian chili at the Olive Garden and making it has become my unofficial way of celebrating the changing leaves and cooler temps of fall. There is a bit of prep-work with the veggie chopping, but you'll forget all about it when you're enjoying a steaming bowl.

*2 tsp. olive oil

*1/2 lb. ground beef

*1/2 onion, chopped

*1 carrot, julienned

*1 stalk celery, finely chopped

*2 cloves garlic, minced

*2 cans tomatoes, (I puree mine, but if you like the chunks by all means...)

*1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

*1 can great northern beans, rinsed and drained

*3-4 c. beef stock

*1 tsp. oregano

*1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

*1 tsp. pepper

*1/2 tsp. Tabasco

*1 TBSP. white vinegar

*1 c. spaghetti sauce

*8 oz. V-8

*8 oz. ditali or small shell pasta

*1/2 TBSP. fresh parsley, chopped

In a large soup pot, saute the beef in oil over medium/medium-high heat until beef begins to brown. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic and tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add beans, stock, oregano, Italian seasoning, pepper, Tabasco, vinegar, spaghetti sauce, and V-8. Stir to combine and return to a simmer. Add noodles and simmer until they are tender but not mushy. Add parsley and serve with Parmesan cheese and some crusty bread.

*Notes: If you have leftovers eat within a day or the noodles will get mushier than I like. The soup freezes very well, just leave the noodles out and add them when you are reheating. If you are making it in advance to take somewhere, you can partially cook the noodles separate and add them just before serving.

Pasta with Chickpea Tomato Sauce

2010-09-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

Pulled this from an Everyday Food magazine a while back. I spent some time over the weekend canning tomatoes and thought this sounded like a good use. My mom might just keel over after reading that I loved it because it is very reminiscent of my most dreaded dish from childhood--macaroni and tomatoes (I may have just gagged)! Anyway, I've listed the changes I made and this amount will serve about 4 as a main meal with a good salad and bread on the side.

*2 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil

*2 garlic cloves, minced

*1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

*1 c. cooked chickpeas (rinse and drain if using canned)

*1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

*1/2 tsp. onion powder

*2 c. cooked tomatoes, pureed or (crushed from can)

*1 c. chicken broth

*1 sprig of basil, plus more for garnish

*10-12 oz. medium pasta shells (depending how saucy you'd like it)

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, stir to cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chickpeas and season with salt and onion powder. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and broth, bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook about 20 minutes, stirring often until slightly reduced. Add basil to tomato sauce and cook 5 minutes more. Remove basil. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and toss with sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese and basil.

Kale Chips

2010-08-29T19:11:00.000-07:00

Ok, before you skip over this post because the name doesn't sound appetizing, hear me out, and try these anyway. We've been tweaking our diet a bit and found this to be a pretty darn decent (dare I say, almost addicting) healthy snack. The nutritionists tell me kale is king of the superfoods and we'll all be better off for eating more of it. You can find it in the produce department for a dollar or two a bunch.

I make a big batch of these each week and just keep them in a big bowl on the counter to grab when we get the munchies. My 2-year-old actually grabs a couple every time she walks by the bowl and even the won't-eat-green-things-5-year-year-old will eat them if they aren't too spicy. The amounts below are just a starting point, but be a little flexible because each bunch of kale is a different size and everyone likes a different amount of spice.

*1 bunch of kale

*1-2 TBSP. olive oil

*1 tsp. sea salt

*1-2 tsp. seasoned salt

*pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

Wash kale and dry well. Cut the tough center stem out of each leaf. Cut into small (1-2" pieces). Toss kale with olive oil and salts and spread in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes (edges will be starting to brown) until crisp. Let cool and enjoy like you might potato chips, but feel better about snacking because kale can help fight heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis.

And, I almost hesitate to include this picture because they taste so much better than they look.

Italian-Balsamic Salad Dressing

2010-08-03T14:21:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my MIL. I love it on a simple salad made of baby spinach, dried cranberries/blueberries/cherries, sunflower seeds and Parmesan cheese.

*1 packet Good Seasonings Italian Salad Dressing mix

*balsamic vinegar

*extra-virgin olive oil

Prepare salad dressing as directed, substituting balsamic vinegar for the regular and olive oil for the oil. Shake well and enjoy.

Southwest Quinoa Salad

2010-08-02T14:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a much healthier option to a pasta salad. Make it a day ahead because the flavors get really yummy the longer it sits.

*2 c. chicken broth

*1 c. quinoa, rinsed

*1 tsp. cumin

*2 c. black beans or a 15 oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained

*2 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed

*3 TBSP. cilantro, chopped

*1/2 roasted red pepper, chopped

*1 c. chicken, cooked and chopped (optional)

*1/2 c. Italian-balsamic or sun-dried tomato salad dressing

Bring broth to a boil in a medium-saucepan. Add the cumin and quinoa. Cover, reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes (check your quinoa for details). Remove from heat and set aside at least 5 minutes. Combine beans, corn, peppers, chicken (if using) and cilantro. Add the quinoa and dressing and toss well to mix. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Pancakes

2010-07-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

We've been eating a lot of non-dairy food lately and this has become a breakfast favorite.

*1 c. almond milk

*1 egg

*1/2 tsp. baking soda

*1 TBSP. vinegar

*1 tsp. baking powder

*2 c. wheat or buckwheat flour

*1 TBSP. milled flax

*1 TBSP agave or honey

*pinch of sea salt

In a large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, baking soda, vinegar and baking powder. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Pour onto pre-heated griddle and cook. These are very good with chopped up blueberries or chocolate chips added. These freeze and reheat well, so if you have extra don't throw them out so you can have an easy breakfast later in the week.

Strawberry Jello Cups

2010-07-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe in the Kraft recipe emails and flagged it because my oldest loves strawberries. We took them to a dinner with some friends and they were enjoyed but all. They were very easy to make. The only catch I found was that they really need to be kept in the fridge until ready to serve, the 5 minutes they were out of the fridge getting to dinner left them a little 'melted'. Also, you might want to plan on 2 per adult because they were a little small for a full serving.

*1 1/4 c. graham cracker crumbs

*1/4 c. butter, softened

*1 c. boiling water

*1 (3 oz.) pkg. strawberry Jell-O

*2 c. ice cubes

*24 fresh strawberries, divided

*2 c. Cool Whip, thawed

*1/3 c. strawberry jam (optional, see my note below)

Heat oven to 350. Mix crumbs and butter and press 2 TBSP. onto bottom and up the sides of 12 muffin cups that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 5 minutes and let cool. Meanwhile add boiling water to gelatin in a medium bowl. Stir 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Add ice and stir another 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove any unmelted ice. Crush 12 berries and stir in with Cool Whip. Whisk until well-blended. Spoon into cups and refrigerate 3 hours until set. Slice remaining berries and fan on top of each cup (OR microwave jam and stir with strawberry slices and spoon on top).

Lime Pepper Chicken with Chipotle Chocolate Cream Sauce

2010-07-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

Caught this recipe, and thought it sounded like a keeper. Here's my slightly modified version to serve 2 grown-ups and 2 kiddies.

*6 chicken breasts tenders

*1/2 TBSP. butter

*1 oz. green chiles, drained (from the small can)

*2 lime, juiced

*1/2 c. heavy cream

*pinch of salt

*1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

*1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning

*1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

*1 TBSP. olive oil

*Fresh cracked pepper

Drizzle lime juice evenly over both sides of chicken. Season chicken with the lemon pepper and salt. Add oil to a hot sauté pan. Sauté chicken breasts over medium-high heat until cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.

Mince green chiles to a very small dice. In another sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add chiles and sauté until chiles are warmed through. Pour cream into the chiles and bring to a simmer. Reduce cream by half its volume over medium-high heat. Pour balsamic vinegar into cream sauce and stir to combine. Sprinkle chocolate into sauce and stir to combine, until chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken on a plate and spoon sauce over chicken.

pic pulled from ABC4.com

Lemony Pasta with Chicken and Wilted Arugula

2010-07-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

Pulled this recipe from June's Everyday Food magazine. I decided to add some rotisserie chicken since we've got some protein needs at our house. This had a perfect light and fresh taste for a summer meal in my opinion. This made enough for 4 adults and we served it with some corn on the cob and a big spinach salad.

*1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

*1/4-1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

*3/4 lb. short tubular pasta

*1-2 c. shredded rotisserie chicken

*3 oz. wild or baby arugula (I'm growing this in the garden and only had about 2 c.)

*2 tsp. grated lemon zest

*1 TBSP. lemon juice

*2 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil

*3/4 c. grated pecorino cheese, plus more for serving

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and return to pan over low heat. Add chicken and stir until meat is warmed. Remove from heat and add arugula, lemon zest and juice, olive oil and cheese. Toss and season with salt and pepper.

Quick & Spicy Tomato Sauce (with turkey meatballs)

2010-07-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

This is a very easy way to do tomato sauce and I liked the flavor from the fire roasted tomatoes

*1 TBSP. olive oil

*1/2 medium onion, chopped

*4 cloves garlic, minced

*3 TBSP. tomato paste

*1 (28 oz.) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, liquid included (I pureed mine a bit)

*1 tsp. finely minced canned chipotle en adobo and sauce (leave out if you don't want the heat)

*2 tsp. finely chopped oregano leaves

*1 sprig fresh rosemary

*salt

*1/4 c. torn fresh basil leaves

In a 4-qt. saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onions until translucent, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add tomato paste, tomatoes, chipotles, oregano, rosemary, and salt. Bring all the ingredients to a low boil, reduce heat and cook for approximately 15 minutes, until liquid has evaporated slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove rosemary (add meatballs, cover and cook for 10 minutes) add basil just before serving.

Turkey Meatballs

2010-07-06T19:31:00.000-07:00

I must preface this by saying that I'm not a fan of meatballs...at all. But these are delicious (all of us agreed) and a healthier option than most other versions. This batch made about twice as many as our little family would eat, so I made the full recipe and put half in the freezer for a super-fast meal in a few weeks.

*Cooking spray

*1 lb. ground turkey

*1 slice whole wheat bread, pulsed into crumbs

*1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

*1/2 c. finely grated carrot (about 1 carrot)

*1/2 c. finely chopped onion

*3 large garlic cloves, minced

*2 TBSP. fresh parsley, minced

*2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, minced

*1 egg, lightly beaten

*1/2 tsp. salt

*fresh ground pepper

Preheat broiler and spray cooking sheet with cooking spray. Combine turkey with all other ingredients (use your hands for best results...you can do it) in a large bowl. Shape into meat balls roughly the size of a golf ball. I got 24 from this, but the actual recipe sized them bigger to get 12. Broil for about 10 minutes until browned and almost entirely cooked through. Add to a pan of tomato sauce, cover and cook another 10 minutes or so. Serve with some whole wheat pasta and a shaving of Parmesan. Evidently they reheated well the next day.

Lemonade

2010-07-01T20:21:00.000-07:00

A while back, my cousin was asking me if I had my dad's lemonade recipe--the recipe he figured out while watching the folks at the county fair lemonade stand. I'd actually forgotten about it until Carlee reminded me, but here we are two decades later and my cousin still wants the recipe. Well, since I can't ask him what secrets he figured out, here's how I make it (and man, do I ever wish I could enjoy a tall glass of it with my Pops...)

*1 c. lemon juice

*3/4 c. sugar

*5 c. ice water (fill measuring cup to 5 c. with crushed ice and fill with water)

Put all ingredients in a blender and pulse until well-combined, or just put it all in the drink pitcher and use an immersion blender. (I've tried making a simple syrup with the sugar and a cup of the water and haven't noticed much of a difference). We also often add 1 c. frozen strawberries to this mix before blending (think non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri).

Lime Cilantro Chicken

2010-06-24T19:30:00.001-07:00

This marinade is an altered version of tequila-lime chicken, but there was no tequila in the house when I decided to make it.

*3 limes, juiced

*5 cloves garlic, peeled

*1 jalapeño, seeded and sliced

*1 tsp. kosher salt

*1/2 c. cilantro

*2 TBSP. olive oil

In a food processor, pulse juice, garlic, jalapeno, salt and cilantro. Add olive oil and pulse to combine. Coat 4 chicken breasts with marinade and refrigerate 4-8 hours. Grill until cooked through. Top each breast with a slice of pepper-jack cheese and melt. Serve with rice, beans, pico de gallo, Mexican corn, and tortillas.

Mini Ricotta Cakes

2010-06-22T19:17:00.000-07:00

These are such a fun cookie. I can't decide whether I prefer them plain or with the lemon zest, but we've never had one go to waste.

Cookie:

*2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

*1 tsp. baking powder

*1/2 tsp. baking soda

*1/8 tsp. salt

*1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened

*1 c. sugar

*1 egg

*1 c. ricotta

*1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract OR 1 tsp. + zest of one lemon

Glaze:

*2 c. powdered sugar

*3 TBSP. milk

*1 TBSP. lemon zest (optional)

Heat oven to 350. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray or line with parchment. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together; set aside.

Beat butter and granulated sugar together until blended. Add egg, ricotta and vanilla (and zest), beating until combined.

On low speed, add flour mixture and beat until blended. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared pans. Bake for 14 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Let cool on sheets 3 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, beat powdered sugar and milk together until well blended. Stir in zest if using. Dip tops of cookies into glaze and set aside until glaze has hardened.

Garlic Herb Noodles

2010-06-21T07:37:00.000-07:00

There is no real recipe for this, but this is a fresh-tasting side for a summer meal.

*1/3-1/2 lb. small noodles (I often use the mini farfalle)

*1-2 TBSP. butter

*1 clove garlic, minced

*1 handful fresh parsley, minced

*1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook noodles according to package instructions. While draining noodles, melt butter in pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until good and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add noodles back to pot and toss to coat. Remove from heat, add parsley and Parmesan cheese, stir well and serve.

Boneless Pork Ribs

2010-06-17T19:29:00.001-07:00

It seems like boneless pork ribs go on sale regularly around these parts, so I've often got a package in my freezer. Here's an easy way to prepare them if you don't have all day to slow cook them.

*4 boneless pork ribs

*1/2 TBSP. garlic powder

*1/2 TBSP. onion powder

*1/2 TBSP. pepper

*1 tsp. ground mustard

Combine dry spices and rub on all surfaces of pork. Grill on a medium-high temp for 12-15 minutes total until cooked through. Let rest five minutes before serving.

Grilled Chicken & Orzo with Oregano and Lemon

2010-06-09T14:17:00.000-07:00

I am somewhat addicted to this recipe. It's a variation of one I pulled from Everyday Foods. I make a full batch at the beginning of the week, shred up the chicken, and eat it for lunches over a big mound of baby spinach.

*6 chicken tenders

*4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

*2 sprigs plus 2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano

*1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges, plus 1 TBSP. lemon juice

*kosher salt and ground pepper

*1 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil

*1 c. orzo

*1/2 c. garbanzo beans

In a ziptop bag, use a mallet and pound the chicken a bit to flatten. Add garlic, oregano sprigs, lemon wedges (squeezing juice into the bag first), salt and pepper. Close bag and refrigerate about 30 minutes.

Start a medium pot of salted water to boil. Heat grill to medium-high. Lightly rub grill with olive oil. Remove chicken from marinate and grill until cooked through, about 3-5 minutes, flipping once. I tried putting the garlic cloves on the grill as well...mercy, you should try it too! Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook orzo according to package (I add a tsp. of chicken bouillon or some chicken broth to the water). Drain orzo and transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in chopped oregano, 1 TBSP. lemon juice, 1 TBSP. olive oil and garbanzo beans. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken with orzo and garnish with lemon wedges if desired.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

2010-06-03T14:16:00.000-07:00

When I saw Michelle's post, I had to laugh because I have a peanut butter granola bar that I've been meaning to post, but was waiting to make them again so I could remember to take a picture. I got this a while back and make a batch a couple times a month. They keep very well in the fridge (tightly covered/wrapped) and the girls love them as a mid-morning snack.

*1 egg white

*1/2 c. chunky peanut butter

*1/3 c. brown sugar

*1/4 c. honey

*1 TBSP light corn syrup (optional)

*1/3-1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted

*2 c. old fashioned oats

*1 TBSP. ground flax

*1/4 c. slivered almonds, toasted

*1/3 c. mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a 7 x 10 3/4" baking pan with vegetable spray. Line with a 6 x 18" parchment paper and lightly spray paper.

In a medium bowl, use a fork to whisk egg white until white and frothy. Stir in peanut butter, brown sugar, honey and corn syrup if using. Add butter, oats, flax and almonds. Combine well and stir in chocolate chips.

Use a spatula to evenly press the mixture into prepared pan. Bake 15-18 minutes until the edge begins to brown. Remove from oven and let cool at least 1 hour. Remove parchment (and granola bars) and cut into squares.

Granola Bars

2010-06-02T13:18:00.000-07:00

Who makes granola bars? It's not something I ever even thought about making but I came across a recipe last week and decided to give them a try.

Photo compliments of Flickr

5 cups quick oats
1 cup coconut
1 cup almonds, chopped (I like them chopped small)
1 cup dry milk
1 cup honey
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. vanilla extract

Then decide what you want in your granola bar. Some good things to add are:
mini m&m's, raisins, chocolate chips, craisins, small apple chips, sunflower seeds, etc. Add as much as you want to the recipe.

Mix all ingredients together well. I like to use my hands to get it all mixed up really well. Then press into a large cookie sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes for chewy bars, 45 minutes for crunchy bars. Cut into bar shape while still warm and let cool in the cookie sheet for a few hours. When they are cool, cut and store them in an airtight container. Makes approximately 44 granola bars.

I was actually impressed with how they turned out. They definitely have a different taste than the Quaker brand I normally buy but I liked them. I added Peanut Butter chips to mine and I'm anxious to try new additions to see what I like. If I did PB again I would add some chocolate chips to the batch or drizzle some chocolate on top because in my opinion, PB and chocolate were made to go together.

Dulce de Leche Brownies

2010-05-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

Found this recipe in time for Cinco de Mayo and found the express route to my man's heart with them.

*8 TBSP. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
*6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, cut into pieces

*1/4 c. dutch-process cocoa

*3 large eggs

*1 c. sugar

*1 tsp. vanilla

*1 c. flour

*1 c. dulce de leche

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil making sure that it comes up the sides and has overhang on both ends. Grease bottom and sides with butter or cooking spray.

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in chocolate pieces and melt over very low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa. Add eggs, one at a time. Stir in sugar, then vanilla, then flour.

Scrape 1/2 of the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan. Drop 1/3 of the dulce de leche by spoonfuls, evenly spaced, onto the brownie batter. Use a knife to gently swirl. Scrape the remaining batter on top, and drop the remaining dulce de leche on top. Gently swirl again.

Bake 35-40 minutes until the center is set. Remove from oven, allow to cool and cut. These are VERY rich, so although the recipe says it makes 12, I cut them small and get 25 from the pan.

Dulce de Leche

2010-05-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

It's been many moons since I was first introduced to this sweet milk goodness served frequently in South & Central American areas. My neighbor at the time taught me how to make it by putting a whole can of sweetened condensed milk into a pot of boiling water and letting it simmer away for 3 hours. It always made me nervous because you have to keep the water at a certain level or the can will explode, so I only did it that way two times. It wasn't until some family members who had lived in South America came home that I learned you could buy cans of dulce de leche right at the store. I'll just say that cans of that stuff are not safe around me, for the same reason that an open can of sweetened condensed milk is not safe around me. If you've never tried the stuff, imagine a sweetened condensed milk mixed with a yummy caramel. My little ones like to dip apple slices in it (at least the apples are healthy, right?), it's fantastic drizzled over vanilla or chocolate ice cream, swirled in cocoa and so many other things. So when I came across a way to make it at home, without the worry of exploding cans, I was all in.

*1 can sweetened condensed milk

*sea salt

Preheat oven to 425. Open can of sweetened condensed milk. Pour it into a glass pie pan, making sure to accidentally drip some on your finger so you can taste it. mmm... Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt and stir. I've found the best way to get the spoon clean is to lick it. Cover tightly with foil. Find a baking pan that is big enough to set the pie pan inside of it and do just that. Pour hot water into baking pan until it comes about half way up the sides of the pie pan. Put baking sheet into oven and let bake for about 1 1/4 hours. I use a large glass casserole dish so I can keep an eye on water level and color of the milk. If you notice your water is getting low, add more water to keep it about the same level. You have dulce de leche when it has turned from cream color to a good caramel color. Pull it out of the oven and let it cool a little, whisk until smooth and use or store tightly covered in the fridge for a few days.

Zuppa Toscana

2010-04-30T14:34:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law gave me this recipe and I finally took the plunge and attempted making it. I don't know why I was afraid to make it because it's super easy and I actually like this better than Olive Garden's Zuppa. I didn't take photos of the process but here's one I found on the internet.

Ingredients:

1 lb. Spicy Italian sausage, cooked/crumbled (i.e. Jimmy Dean)

1 qt. water

2 (14.5 oz) cans of chicken broth (OR 4 c. water and 4 bullion cubes)

2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed clean and cubed (I also peeled mine)

2 garlic cloves--peeled, crushed

2 c. chopped kale, swiss chard, or spinach (I have also had it without and it is still good)

1 c. heavy whipping cream (my MIL uses goats milk instead)

Salt and pepper to taste.

Brown the sausage. Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic and onion in pot. Simmer over heat. Add sausage and simmer about 10 minutes. Add kale/swiss chard/spinach to the pot. Season to taste. Heat through.

Pie Crust

2010-04-13T20:25:00.000-07:00

*2 c. flour

*1 tsp. baking powder

*1 tsp. sugar

*1/2 tsp. salt

*3/4 c. butter Crisco

*1/4 c. butter

*1/3 c. cold water

Stir dry ingredients together. Add Crisco and butter and mix with a fork or pastry cutter until good and crumbly. Add water all at once in the middle and quickly stir with fork until just combined (everything sticks together when pressed gently). Form 2 balls. Gently knead the first ball just enough to have a smooth dough. Roll out into a large circle (about 1/8"-thick), use your rolling pin to roll the dough up and place into a 9-inch pie pan. Gently press into pan. If you are making a filled pie, add filling, roll out other ball and place on top. Crimp edges together using thumb and two fingers.

If you are adding filling (this is usually done after crust is baked), use a fork to prick the interior of the crust before baking so it doesn't bubble up. Don't not prick with fork for pies like apple or pumpkin where the filling is baked along with the crust. Bake empty shell at 375 for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool before adding filling.

Chicken Pot Pie

2010-04-13T19:54:00.000-07:00

My big girl turned five and chose chicken pot pie for her birthday dinner. I keep Marie Calendar's in the freezer for quick dinners and realized it had been too long since I made the homemade variety.

Here's what I do:

*5 TBSP. butter, divided

*1 small onion, chopped

*1 stalk celery, chopped

*2 medium carrots, chopped

*1 medium potato, chopped

*1 can chicken broth

*1 chicken bouillon cube

*1/4 tsp. pepper

*1/4 c. flour

*2/3 c. milk

*1/3 c. cream

*2 c. cooked chicken, diced

*1/2 c. swiss cheese, shredded or 3 oz. cream cheese

*1/2 c. frozen peas

*Pie crust (frozen, refrigerated, homemade)

Peel and chop onion, celery, carrots and potatoes into bite-sized pieces. In a large saucepan, melt 1 TBSP. butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery and saute for a minute until soft and translucent. Add carrots, potato, chicken broth, bouillon, and pepper and simmer until veggies are cooked through. In a small saucepan, melt 4 TBSP. butter and add flour, stir until bubbly. Add milk and cream and whisk until thickened. Whisk milk mixture into veggies and stir until well-incorporated. Add chicken and cook on low for a few minutes. Add cheese, stirring to combine. Add peas and remove from heat. Pour into pie crust, cover with remaining crust, use knife to make vent slits in top, and bake at 400 for about 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving. I always put the pie (pan) on a baking sheet just in case any bubbles up and over, and it makes it a lot easier to remove from the oven.

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

2010-04-03T13:41:00.000-07:00

Carlee shared this recipe site with me and wouldn't you know it a guiltless Alfredo sauce recipe caught my eye. Since I've been making a lot of pasta lately, I've also been trying some new sauce recipes and will say this one is a keeper.

*2 c. low-fat (not skim) milk

*3 oz. 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

*2 TBSP. flour

*1 tsp. salt

*1 TBSP. butter

*3 garlic cloves

*1 c. Parmesan cheese

Put the milk, cream cheese, flour and salt in a blender. Process until smooth and set aside.

In a sauce pan, melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic. Saute for 30 seconds and slowly add milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for 4-5 minutes until it comes to a simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook a few minutes more. When it is nice and thick, add the cheese. Stir well, then remove from heat and cover. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.

White Frosting

2010-04-02T13:31:00.000-07:00

This recipe was featured as a must-try recipe, and although I was pretty skeptical about the flour instead of powdered sugar, I tried it for some birthday cupcakes. This had mixed reviews, but all the kids loved it, so for a lower-sugar option, I'd say give it a try.

*1 c. milk

*5 TBSP. flour

*1 tsp. vanilla

*1 c. butter, soft

*1 c. granulated sugar

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk over medium heat and continue whisking until milk thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in vanilla

While mixture is cooling, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Pour in milk mixture and continue to beat until it resembles whipped cream.

Naan

2010-03-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

I was making tandoori chicken for dinner and realized it had been way too long since we'd made some naan. This leavened flat-bread is pretty expensive to buy at the store and since it's a pretty easy bread to make, it's definitely worth making at home.

*1 1/4 tsp. yeast

*1/2 c. warm water

*2 TBSP. sugar

*1 1/2 TBSP. milk

*1 medium egg, beaten

*1 tsp. salt

*2-2 1/2 c. bread flour

*2 cloves garlic

*3 TBSP. butter, melted

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in water and let stand a few minutes until good and frothy. Stir in the sugar, milk, egg, salt and about 2 c. flour, mixing to form a soft dough. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, or until dough is smooth. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let rise about 1 hour until doubled.

Peel garlic cloves, and using the side of knife smash and press garlic to make a paste. Punch down dough and knead in garlic paste for 1-2 minutes. Pull off small handfuls of dough (about the size of a golf ball), roll into balls, and place on a baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled (about 30 minutes).

Preheat grill to high heat (if using a grill pan on your stove go for a medium-high). On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball of dough into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill and place dough on grill. Cook for 2-3 minutes until puffy and bubbly. Brush top side with butter and flip. Brush top (cooked) side with butter and continue to cook until bottom is browned, another 2 minutes. Remove from the grill, cover with a heavy dish cloth to keep warm while you cook remaining bread, and enjoy. This makes about 8, 7-inch breads.

Oatmeal Pancake Mix

2010-03-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

My friend, Jen, shared this recipe with me--she picked it up out of American Profile a while back. This is a great mix to have on hand (just store the mix in a ziptop bag) and this mix recipe makes about 5 batches of pancakes.

Mix:

*4 c. old-fashioned oats

*2 c. all-purpose flour

*2 c. whole-wheat flour

*1 c. packed brown sugar

*1 c. instant dry milk (1/2 c. regular dry milk)

* 3 TBSP. baking powder

*2 TBSP. cinnamon

*5 tsp. salt

*1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Pancakes:

*2 eggs

*1/3 c. canola oil

*2 c. pancake mix

*1 c. water

Mix all the ingredients for the mix together. Store until ready to use.

To make the pancakes, beat eggs in a large bowl. Gradually beat in oil. Alternately add pancake mix and water to mixture. Blend well. Preheat and oil a griddle. Pour 1/3 c. batter per pancake onto griddle. Cook until bubbles form around edges, turn and continue to cook until done. This will make about 10 pancakes. Keep in mind these are very filling and most will only be able to eat 1-2 cakes. We like to serve them with strawberries and blueberries or good old maple syrup.

Tuscan White Bean Soup

2010-03-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we went to dinner with friends and I ordered a Tuscan white bean soup for my starter and haven't been able to get it off my mind ever since. It had such a simple/hearty/tasty flavor I decided I had to try to figure it out. I think this is very close to the original and it was a hit with the whole family.

*3/4 lb. navy beans

*5 cloves garlic, divided and chopped

*2 tsp. thyme, divided

*1 TBSP. olive oil

*1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

*1 tsp. sage

*1 quart low-sodium chicken broth

*1/4 c. cream

*Parmesan cheese, slices preferred

*croutons

*fresh cracked pepper

*extra-virgin olive oil

Start by sorting and rinsing the beans. I cooked mine in my pressure cooker with 8 c. water, 1 tsp. thyme and 2 cloves of garlic, chopped, for about 25 minutes. Drain beans. If using canned beans, grab 2-3 cans of cannelini beans and rinse and drain them before using. In a stock-pot heat 1 TBSP. olive oil and cook onion over medium heat until fragrant and tender. Add the sage and cook another minute. Pour in chicken broth and add beans, garlic and remaining tsp. thyme leaves. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer about 20 minutes. Remove about 1 c. broth and 1 c. beans and puree. Add puree back to soup, stir in cream and heat another 5 minutes.

To serve: Ladle the soup into a bowl. If you have slices of Parmesan place on top of soup or sprinkle shredded cheese. Top with a handful of croutons, a bit of fresh pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Enjoy.

This picture in no way does this soup justice.

Croutons: Any time I've got extra French bread that is on it's way out, I cut it into 1-inch cubes and store in the freezer. When I need croutons, I pull them out to thaw, toast in a 200 degree oven until dry. Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet, toss in the bread cubes to coat and stir in some seasonings (garlic powder, Kosher salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, rosemary, thyme, whatever flavor you're looking for).

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

2010-03-20T14:55:00.000-07:00

I had an old recipe for Mediterranean pasta salad and decided to switch the pasta for some quinoa. This is very easy to make and is good cold or room temperature.

*1 1/2 c. cooked quinoa (I boiled mine in some chicken broth, let cool and fluff)

*1/2 c. chick peas (cooked or rinsed and drained)

*1/2 c. arugula

*1/4 c. crumbled feta

*2 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil

*2 tsp. lemon juice

*1/2 TBSP. freshly chopped parsley

In a bowl combine quinoa, chick peas, arugula and feta. Combine oil, lemon juice in a small bowl and toss with quinoa mix. Stir in parsley. Refrigerate until ready to serve. I like my lettuce crisp, so I mixed all other ingredients and served it on top of the arugula.

Whole Wheat Pasta

2010-03-13T19:51:00.000-08:00

I have been having a lot of fun making homemade pastas. The next couple posts will be some of my favorite dough recipes. The man of this house often does the rolling of the pasta sheets (using the pasta roller, of course) and finds it very therapeutic. This recipe is for a wheat dough that is made with half wheat and half white flour and is very easy.

*1 egg (or 2 TBSP. egg powder + 2 TBSP. water)

*2 TBSP. milk (or scant 1/2 tsp. dry milk + 2 TBSP water)

*1/2 c. wheat flour

*1/2 c. all-purpose flour

Stir ingredients together in a bowl. Using hands, knead until a hard ball of dough forms (if too dry you can add a few drops of water, but keep trying to knead it because you likely won't need more).

Cover dough with a damp towel and allow to rest at least 10 minutes. Divide dough into 2-4 sections and roll using your pasta roller or by hand on a floured surface.

After I rolled the sheets of dough,

I used a pizza cutter to cut one direction and a crimped roller to roll the other direction to make squares, pinched them in the middle to make farfalle noodles.

Let dough dry 10-30 minutes before cooking. Add noodles to salted boiling water and cook a few minutes until al dente.

Garlic-Rosemary Breaded Chicken

2010-03-11T12:48:00.000-08:00

I have a rosemary plant that has been a bit neglected through this winter. A couple weeks ago we had a couple days of sun and warmth that reminded me it had been too long since I'd cooked with it. I looked around the kitchen and put together this simple breading. I thought the chicken had great flavor and was just as easily prepared early in the day so all I had to do was bake it at dinner time.

*2-3 slices bread

*2-3 cloves garlic, peeled

*1 sprig rosemary leaves

*1-2 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil

*salt & pepper

*2-3 chicken breasts or 6-8 tenders

*1/2 c. flour

*1/3 c. melted butter

Use a food processor to pulse the bread into crumbs; set aside. If you've got a mortar & pestle, use it to crush the garlic, rosemary and olive oil together and stir into bread crumbs. If not, add the garlic & rosemary to the food processor and pulse to combine. Add oil and pulse 1-2 times. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare 3 shallow trays with flour, seasoned with salt and pepper in one; melted butter in one; and bread crumb mix in the last. Use a paper towel to pat the chicken dry. Dip in flour, then butter, then bread crumbs and set on a cooling rack (spray with cooking oil first) over a baking sheet (line with foil for easier cleanup). Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until chicken tests done.

Crazy for Coconut - Chicken, Rice, and Rolls

2010-03-09T12:28:00.000-08:00

I know I have some coconut-loving family members, so this post is for them. I decided to do an entirely coconut-themed dinner the other night and we were all (even my picky 2-year old) pleasantly surprised with the results. I made Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers, Sweet and Savory Coconut Rice, and Samoan Coconut Rolls.

The websites I pulled these recipes from (www.ourbestbites.com and www.rhodesbread.co m) all have fantastic pictures and instructions, so it seemed a little redundant for me to post them again. Just click on the links above to find the recipes.

I will say that the chicken turned out so good that Kory had to remove himself from the table to avoid eating all the leftovers I purposely made. The texture and taste were both perfect. I originally assumed these would be sweet since you coat them in sweetened coconut, but they were definitely more savory because of the panko breading, curry powder, and other spices. I skewered one for my daughter and she just kept saying "num num," which nearly brought tears to my eyes.

The rice was also very tasty. Don't go light on the green onions though. I know it sounds weird to mix sugar, green onions, and coconut milk together, but the green onions really do give it a fantastic flavor.

And as for the rolls, they were really good as well. My only advice would be to cut the amount of the coconut/sugar mixture you put on them by at least half. I halved the recipe in the first place (since there's no way we could ever eat 18 rolls) and still didn't use all the mixture that it called for. Even still the bottoms ended up a tiny bit soggy from the excess coconut milk that accumulated at the bottom of the pan during cooking, so maybe just brush the tops and sides of the rolls with the coconut milk/sugar mixture to ensure that they don't end up soggy. Since I had extra coconut milk/sugar mixture, I poured it into small cups and stuck popsicle sticks inside. I then popped them into the freezer and we had a very tasty treat the next day.

This was a fantastic meal and will be added to my future menus for sure.

Note: I know I have a few family members who are not big fans of coconut. I will say that the chicken and rice did not have powerful coconut flavors to them. They were both just really good. It might be worth a try even if you don't love coconut.

Chocolate Eclair Hearts with Milk-Chocolate Whipped Cream

2010-03-08T19:27:00.000-08:00

Martha Stewart deemed this the dessert of the month a few years back and it's been waiting for me to have the time and energy to make it for Valentine's Day...this was the year. My Valentine thoroughly enjoyed them. I wonder that I could have made heart-shaped waffle cookies, filled them with the same filling and had a pretty similar result with half the work. Regardless, I can now move the recipe page to the back of my desserts binder and no longer have to wonder if they are as good as they look. I will suggest that you only need to make half the filling and half of the glaze because it made plenty. Although, the filling is good enough to eat with a spoon, so make the full portion and plan to eat about half.

For the Pate A Choux (fancy name for the pastry):

*Vegetable-oil cooking spray

*1 1/4 c. bread flour

*1/4 c. + 1 TBSP best-quality unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

*1 1/4 c. whole milk

*1/2 c. unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

*1/4 c. sugar

*1/2 tsp. salt

*4 large eggs

For the filling:

*4 oz. best-quality milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

*2 c. heavy cream

*3 TBSP. sugar

For the glaze:

*9 oz. best-quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

*1 c. heavy cream

*1 1/2 TBSP. corn syrup

Preheat oven to 425. Using a 2 1/2-inch heart cookie cutter and a pencil, trace 12 hearts on a piece of parchment paper, spacing 1 inch apart.

Repeat with another piece of parchment. Lightly coat two rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray; line with prepared parchment, traced side down. Set aside.

Make the pate a choux: Sift flour and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Put milk, butter, sugar, and salt into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, and add flour mixture all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until flour has been incorporated.

Set pan over medium-low heat. Continue to cook, stirring, until dough pulls away from sides of pan and forms a ball, about one minute.

Transfer dough to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until just warm to the touch.

Raise speed to medium. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip. Pipe onto prepared parchment, tracing outlines of hearts and then filling centers. Pipe another heart on top of first layer.

Place hearts in oven. Reduce temperature to 400. Bake 10 minutes, then rotate sheets. Reduce to 350; bake 7 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks to cool slightly. Turn off oven.

Using a serrated knife, halve hearts horizontally. Arrange, cut sides down, on wire rack. Place rack on baking sheet; transfer to oven. Prop open door slightly, and let hearts cool completely, 45-60 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside.

Make the filling: Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Pulse chocolate in a food processor until finely chopped.

Put 1 cup cream and the sugar into a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer; stirring until sugar has dissolved. Add hot cream mixture to the food processor.

Carefully pulse until completely smooth. Transfer to a large bowl set in the ice-water bath. Let cool completely, whisking occasionally, 30-45 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a mixing bowl.

Put chocolate cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add remaining cup cream. Beat on low speed until medium peaks form (do not overbeat).

Make the glaze: Pulse chocolate in a food processor until finely chopped. Put cream and corn syrup into a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until syrup has dissolved. Add hot cream mixture to the food processor. Carefully pulse until completely smooth. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl; use a rubber spatula to eliminate air bubbles.

To assemble: Spoon glaze over tops of hearts (have hearts on cooling rack over parchment paper to help with clean-up). Let stand until set, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, spread filling onto cut sides of bottoms of hearts.

Sandwich tops and bottoms.

Serve immediately, or refrigerate, uncovered, up to 4 hours.

These were good and fun to make, but until I have an kitchen assistant who will do all my dishes...these aren't going to be a regular Valentine treat.

Orange Marmalade

2010-03-04T13:41:00.000-08:00

I found a couple oranges that had passed their prime while we were enjoying a vacation and decided to make some orange marmalade. This could not be easier and was so yummy on English muffins and beer bread.

*orange(s)

*sugar

Grab some oranges, leathery skin is not a problem. Cut stem end off orange. Cut orange into quarters or eighths. Place segments in food processor or blender and puree to desired consistency. Put chopped oranges and an equal amount of sugar into a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes until translucent. Keeps well in the fridge for months.

Min Penne with Carrot Puree and Peas

2010-03-01T19:02:00.000-08:00

We've been working very hard at this house to eat more veggies. Some nights the girls do fine with this plan, but I'm still looking for every option to get closer to nine servings a day. So when I saw this recipe on the back of a Barilla pasta box, I pulled it to try. I do not list carrots among my favorite foods, but I really enjoyed this...likely it had something to do with the cup of heavy cream.

*1 lb. mini penne pasta

*1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced

*1 c. heavy whipping cream

*2 c. frozen peas (I used fresh broccoli)

*3 TBSP. Parmesan cheese, grated

*salt and pepper to taste

Boil the carrots (I boiled mine in half water/half chicken broth ) until thoroughly cooked, about 6-7 minutes until tender; drain. Meanwhile in a medium sauce pan, bring cream to a slow boil and remove from heat. Cook pasta according to package instructions, reserve about a cup of cooking water. Place half the carrots and cream in a food processor; cover and process until smooth (or save yourself another dish and use an immersion blender); add salt and pepper to taste. Return carrot and cream mixture to sauce pan. Add peas and remaining carrot slices; simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes. Drain pasta and toss with the sauce, add the reserved pasta water as needed to thin sauce. Stir in cheese before serving.

Cranberry Orange Mini Muffins

2010-02-28T12:36:00.000-08:00

This is a yummy muffin for breakfast or brunch. They were easy to make and my kids thought they were eating cupcakes because of the sweetness, so I didn't tell them I got them out of the healthy living section of our newspaper.

*1 c. dried sweetened cranberries

*1/2 c. boiling water

*1 c. whole-wheat flour

*1 c. all-purpose flour

*1 tsp. baking powder

*1/2 tsp. baking soda

*1/4 tsp. salt

*2 egg whites

*1/4 c. canola oil

*2/3 c. orange juice

*grated zest of 1 orange

*3/4 c. sugar

Place cranberries in a small deep bowl; pour boiling water over cranberries and stir to coat. Set aside and allow cranberries to plump, about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line mini muffin pans with paper baking cups or spray cups with nonstick cooking spray. Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. Combine egg whites, oil, juice and zest in a medium mixing bowl. Add sugar and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients and mix just until flour is moistened. Drain cranberries (if you're making this for little kids, I suggest chopping the cranberries a little bit smaller) and add, stirring just until blended. Do not overmix. Fill miniature muffin cups about 3/4 full of batter. Bake 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to stand 10 minutes then remove to a rack. Serve warm. Makes 36 muffins.

Whole Wheat Tortillas

2010-02-19T14:16:00.000-08:00

We've enjoyed making homemade tortillas so much I really wanted to find a whole wheat version we could try. I found this recipe and the only change I made was to add a little flax. They were much better than store-bought and very soft and not heavy.

1 c. all-purpose flour

4 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 c. shortening

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 c. boiling water

all-purpose flour for rolling

In a large bowl mix together the flours and salt.

Using your hands, mix in the shortening until it is the texture of oatmeal.

Make a well in the center and pour in the boiling water. Mix with a fork until all of the water is evenly incorporated. Sprinkle with a bit of flour and knead until the dough does not stick to your fingers. The dough should be smooth.

Shape into balls about the size of golf balls (about 2 oz.).

Place on a tray, cover with a cloth and let stand for at least 1 hour (or up to 6 hours, I would lightly dampen the cloth if waiting this long). Heat a griddle or fry pan over high heat. On a lightly floured surface, roll out tortilla to desired thickness (the more thin the better). Place on griddle and cook about 10-20 seconds until it bubbles. Flip and continue to cook for another 30 seconds or so.

Cover finished tortillas with a towel to keep warm while cooking remaining tortillas. Freeze or refrigerate any leftovers.

We filled our with black beans cooked with onions, garlic, red peppers, cumin and cilantro...YUM!

Mexican Brownies

2010-02-17T14:04:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I got to run away to NYC for an extended weekend. On the flight over I sat next to the most memorable couple who kept me laughing to myself at their 'uniqueness'. The sweet wife had a new issue of Food Network Magazine that she graciously let me read, and because I found this recipe in that magazine, I am indebted to her.

The recipe is from the one and only Aaron Sanchez.

*2 sticks butter

*2 c. sugar

*4 large eggs

*2 tsp. vanilla

*2/3 c. cocoa

*1 c. flour

*1 tsp. Mexican cinnamon

*1/4 tsp. cayenne

*1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

*1/2 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x13in. baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a few inches overhang. Butter pan.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat, do not boil. Remove and cool slightly. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla to saucepan and stir with wooden spoon.

Add cocoa, flour, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and baking soda. Mix until smooth. Spread in pan and bake for 20-25 minutes (mine needed 25). They will be a little fudgey, this is a good thing. Remove parchment with brownies and cut to serve when cooled.

We all loved the flavor (even the girls) and would even add a little more cayenne next time. I highly recommend a scoop of vanilla ice cream with the brownie for a yummy bedtime snack.

Thai Peanut Sauce and Grilled Chicken

2010-02-15T14:15:00.000-08:00

My daughter informed me this was the best dinner...EVER. I think she was intrigued with eating chicken like a popsicle, but whatever works, right?

I got this recipe from a newspaper insert and it suggested serving with grilled chicken or pork or as a dip for cucumber slices or tossed with a tangle of noodles.

*4 tsp. peanut oil

*2/3 c. minced shallots

*4 garlic cloves, minced

*1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (I used over 1 tsp. and the heat was just right)

*6 TBSP. creamy peanut butter

*2 TBSP. hoisin sauce

*2 tsp. dark brown sugar

*3/4 c. water

*1 TBSP. fresh lime juice

Heat oil in a heavy saucepan.

Add shallots, garlic and crushed red pepper; cook over low heat until fragrant and just beginning to color, about 3 minutes.

Whisk in peanut butter, hoisin, brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Stir in lime juice. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes about 1.5 cups.

Chicken: Start by soaking some bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes or so. Take chicken tenders (I used 6), and place one in between 2 sheets of plastic (gallon zip top bag works great) and pound to flatten. If the chicken is very wide you could cut into about 1-2" strips. Skewer chicken with bamboo in an accordion fashion.

Season with salt and pepper and grill until done.

Cook up some soba noodles (use spaghetti just as well) and toss the sauce in with the noodles.

I also garnished with some chopped peanuts, a little more red pepper and green onions. Cilantro would have been great with this as well.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bites

2010-02-10T18:30:00.000-08:00

This recipe comes from my friend who served this at our bookclub a while back. I love it because it is super simple to prepare, and my kids love it because it falls into their favorite food group--cream of chicken soup foods. This quantity serves about 4.

*8ish chicken tenders, or a couple breasts cut into strips

*4 slices swiss cheese

*4ish slices ham (I prefer black forest from the deli)

*1 can cream of chicken soup

*1 c. sour cream

*1/2 c. bread crumbs

*fresh parsley, optional

*brown rice

Lightly grease a baking sheet (9x9 or 7x11). Combine soup and sour cream, spread a couple of spoonfuls into the bottom of the dish. Cut the slices of ham and cheese in half. Take a chicken tender and lay a strip of cheese on top, then wrap ham around both.

(yeah, pulled these straight from the freezer since I had to make them early in the day)

Use a toothpick to hold ham in place if needed. Place each wrapped chicken into the pan; repeat until done. Top chicken with remaining sauce and a layer of bread crumbs. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, remove foil and bake another 10 minutes. We serve this on top of brown rice, with a side of steamed broccoli.

Asian Chicken Soup

2010-02-09T10:36:00.000-08:00

I pulled this recipe out after a long discussion with a friend about the merits of rotisserie chicken. The original recipe called for regular chicken breast that would cook in the soup, but I pulled out a bag of shredded rotisserie chicken (about 3/4 lb) and added this for even less clean-up. All of us enjoyed this soup and since it was so easy, it will be put on the repeat list for sure.

*3 cans (14.5 oz each) reduced-sodium chicken broth

*1 TBSP. grated ginger (about 1-inch piece)

*1 garlic clove, slivered

*1/2 tsp. red-pepper flakes

*2 c. water

*4 oz. soba noodles (we used whole wheat farfalle, but wheat spaghetti would be fine as well)

*3/4 lb. shredded rotisserie chicken

*1 medium red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), cut into bite-size strips

*1 cup snow peas, sliced 1/2 inch on diagonal (I only had about 1/2 c. so I added some frozen peas as well)

*2 TBSP. fresh lime juice

*2 scallions, thinly sliced

In a large saucepan, bring broth, ginger, garlic, red-pepper flakes, and 2 cups water to boil over high head. Add noodles, lower heat and simmer until noodles are tender (6-8 min).

Add chicken, bell pepper and snow peas; cook another couple minutes to heat everything through. Add lime juice, scallions, and salt to taste.

Photo courtesy MarthaStewart

Cranberry Velvet Pie

2010-02-01T19:45:00.000-08:00

This is a fun and tasty pie. I got it out of a Wondertime magazine a few years back. As the recipe states, this may not be 'simple as pie', but it's more delicious than most.

For the crust:

*1 1/2 c. flour

*1 TBSP. fresh-grated orange rind

*2 TBSP. sugar

*1/4 tsp. salt

*3/4 c. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/4" slices

*1 large egg

*1/2 tsp. vanilla

For the filling:

*4 c. fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over

*1/2 c. orange juice

*2 TBSP. lemon juice

*1 1/4 c. sugar

*pinch of salt

*6 large egg yolks

*1/2 c. unsalted butter; sliced into 8 pieces

*1 TBSP. fresh-grated orange rind

*Whipped cream for topping

Process flour and orange rind in a food processor until the rind has been thoroughly ground into the flour, about 30 seconds. Add sugar and salt and pulse on and off for a few seconds. Scatter butter slices over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal, about 10 times. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and pulse on and off until the dough holds together.

Gather up the dough, knead it manually if necessary to smooth it out, and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill it for at leas an hour or up to 2 days.

Divide dough into 8-10 pieces. Scatter the pieces evenly in a well-greased 11-inch tart pan of a 9 1/2 " pie plate.

Gently pat the dough into place to make a 1/4-inch-thick crust, coming as far up the edges of the pan as you can.

Chill pan for 20 minutes while you heat the oven to 375.

Grease a 14-inch square piece of heavy aluminum foil. Gently fit the foil, greased side down, over the crust. Cover foil with pie weights, uncooked rice, or uncooked beans.

Place crust on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Carefully lift out the foil and pie weights and set aside.

Return crust to the oven and bake until golden and baked through, about 15-20 minutes longer. Take the crust out of the oven and reset the oven to 275.

Put cranberries, juices, sugar and salt into a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Lower heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook, stirring frequently until berries are soft, about 25 minutes. Force berries through a fine sieve or food mill to remove all skins and seeds.

Put the cranberry puree into a clean saucepan. Over low heat, stirring constantly, whisk in egg yolks. Continuing to stir constantly over low heat, cook the mixture until it is very thick, about 15 minutes. Then take it off the heat and whisk in the butter slices one at a time. Whisk in orange rind.

Pour the cranberry mixture into prepared crust.

Bake until set, about 20-30 minutes. Cool completely; then chill for at least 6 hours or up to one day. Serve with whipped cream.

I had a specific plate I wanted to serve this on, so I made it in my rectangular tart pan instead. This required some adjustments as noted below.

For the crust:

*1 c. flour

*2/3 TBSP. fresh-grated orange rind

*1 1/3 TBSP. sugar

*pinch of salt

*1/2 c. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/4" slices

*2/3 large egg

*1/3 tsp. vanilla

For the filling:

*2 2/3 c. fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over

*1/3 c. orange juice

*1 1/3 TBSP. lemon juice

*5/6 c. sugar

*pinch of salt

*4 large egg yolks

*1/3 c. unsalted butter; sliced into 8 pieces

*2/3 TBSP. fresh-grated orange rind

Chicken & Herb Soup

2010-01-29T13:50:00.000-08:00

This time of year we could eat soup just about every day. This is a very easy soup that takes almost no time to put together. This amount works for our family of 2 adults and 2 little kids.

*1 c. shredded rotisserie chicken (if you don't have a cooked chicken, saute about 3/4 lb. chicken breasts or tenders in a little oil over med-high heat until cooked)

*1 tsp. oil

*1/2 white or yellow onion, finely diced

*2 tsp. flour

*1/2 tsp. thyme

*1/2 tsp. parsley

*1/2 tsp. garlic powder

*1/2 tsp. pepper

*1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed

*2 c. chicken broth

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Stir in onion and saute; add chicken. Stir in flour; then add dry seasonings. Add beans and broth. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

BBQ Pork Stuffed Steam Rolls

2010-01-26T19:49:00.000-08:00

Carlee sent a tweet about making steam rolls, and I'm thinking Carlee doesn't do breads, and my curiosity went through the roof. She sent me the recipe and I knew I had to make them. She used this dough recipe to make basic rolls, I made them into more of a main course and stuffed them with a bbq pork. These were fun, pretty easy and so tasty. The man of the house ate 8 of them and the girls enjoyed using their chopsticks to spear the ball and eat it.

I was limited on time so I made up the bbq pork a day in advance and kept it in the fridge until needed. They took a few hours to make, but most of that time was spent rising, so don't get turned off by the time, do it on a lazy Saturday when the family can help assemble. This recipe makes 24, which would probably serve 5-6 as a main meal.

Pork:

*3/4 lb. pork (roast or other, I used boneless chops)

*1/2 c. BBQ sauce

*3 TBSP. shallots, chopped

*1/2 c. chicken broth

*2 TBSP. soy sauce

*1 TBSP. vegetable oil

*1 TBSP. sugar

*1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

Mix all ingredients together and let marinade for a bit. Cook the pork. I used my pressure cooker and these were done in 4 minutes. I think grilling or skillet time would work fine as well. Shred up the pork and store until ready to stuff the rolls.

Rolls:

*1 TBSP. dry yeast

*1 tsp. sugar

*1/4 c. warm water

*1/4 c. flour

*1/2 c. warm water

*1 1/2 c. flour

*1/4 tsp. salt

*2 TBSP. sugar

*1 TBSP. vegetable oil

*1/2 tsp. baking powder

Mix together yeast, 1 tsp. sugar, 1/4 c. warm water and 1/4 c. flour. Allow to stand for 30 minutes. This will ferment a bit and smell...ripe.

In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 c. warm water, 1 1/2 c. flour, salt, 2 TBSP. sugar, vegetable oil and baking powder. Add the yeast mixture and mix well. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic (5-10 minutes). Lightly grease a bowl and place dough inside, roll to coat in oil. Let rise until tripled in size (about 2 1/2-3 hours).

Cut wax or parchment paper into squares (about 3"x3") and set aside.

Punch down dough and spread dough onto floured surface. Divide into 24 equal pieces (I used my scale and made this a lot easier). If you are making non-stuffed rolls, shape into balls, place on wax paper and proceed to steaming instructions.

To make stuffed rolls, take each piece of dough and roll into a circle that is slightly raised in the middle (you want a thicker base for the meat to sit on).

Place about 1 TBSP. meat in the center and pick up to shape the roll.

I held my roll in my left hand and used the thumb and pointer of my right hand to crimp/fold around the top to close it like a pouch.

Set each roll on parchment paper square and continue to fill remaining rolls.

Once filled, the rolls need to rise for about 30 minutes before steaming.

I don't have a bamboo steamer so I used the steamer basket in my multi-pot and the steamer function on a rice cooker.

I was only able to do 5 (rice cooker)-7 (steamer basket) at a time so it took a while to get through the batches, which was ok because we kept getting hot rolls as we refilled our plates. If you have a bamboo steamer place it over boiling water; if you have a steamer basket, bring the water to a boil while the rolls are rising; if you use the rice cooker, just turn it on when starting to steam. Place parchment paper with rolls on top directly into steamer, leaving about a 2-inch space between rolls. Cover and steam for 15-20 minutes; ours took about 18 minutes. Remove rolls and serve immediately. Enjoy as is or dip in soy sauce, pork sauce, hoisin sauce or bbq.

Hot Vanilla Souffles

2010-01-26T18:39:00.000-08:00

This time last year my family was on a cruise ship headed to Mexico. Unfortunately that's not the case this year, so in an effort to ease my depression I decided to make souffles, which was one of the most raved about desserts on the ship. That was the first time most of my family members had ever tried a souffle, and I can't speak for everybody else, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about them since. I was intrigued by the crispy exterior and the smooth, slightly eggy (think German pancakes) inner texture. I have avoided attempting to make them because quite frankly they look intimidating, but I was surprised by how easy they were.

I searched online for recipes and the one that sounded the best to me was this one. The souffle we had on the cruise ship was accompanied by a vanilla sauce, which I will try to replicate sometime. I think I prefer the vanilla sauce to the chocolate sauce, but they were both good!

(Directions taken from the Food Network)

Ingredients

Souffles:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar for souffle dish
1 1/3 cups milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (unfortunately I didn't have one of these, so I just added a tsp. pure vanilla extract {which, FYI, I purchased in Mexico during our cruise})
1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs, separated
Confectioners' sugar

Satin chocolate sauce:
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
4 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate (I used chocolate chips)
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup hot water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush 4 to 6 individual souffle dishes (or a 7-cup souffle dish) well with melted butter. Put the sugar inside one dish and toss to coat, then tip the excess sugar into the next dish and repeat. Place the dishes in the refrigerator to chill.

Reserving 1/3 cup of the milk, place the remaining 1 cup in a large saucepan. Add the vanilla bean (or vanilla extract) and heat just to a boil, then turn off the heat and set aside to let the vanilla bean infuse for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the 1/3 cup granulated sugar, the flour, and the reserved 1/3 cup milk. Add a little of the hot milk and whisk to combine, then add the flour mixture to the hot milk mixture in the saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally. Simmer just until thickened, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat. Add the butter, stir, cover, and set aside 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and whisk in the egg yolks.

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), whip the egg whites in a clean dry bowl until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and continue whipping until stiff and glossy. Fold into the milk mixture.

Pour the mixture into the prepared dishes, filling them 3/4 full. Run your thumb around the inside rim of each dish, making a shallow "moat" around the edge of the batter. This will help the souffles to rise straight up. Dust the surfaces with confectioners' sugar. (The souffles can stand at this point for up to 30 minutes.) Bake in the center of the oven until puffed and light golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes (I cooked mine closer to 30 to make sure the top would be slightly crisp). Do not open the oven door unless absolutely necessary.

Satin Chocolate Sauce: Combine the 2 chocolates over simmering water in the top half of a double boiler. Stir constantly until melted, then whisk in the syrup and water without removing the double boiler from the heat. Whisk until smooth and shiny. (The sauce can be made up to 48 hours in advance and refrigerated. To rewarm, stir over low heat or heat in a microwave.) At the table, serve the hot souffles by poking a hole in each one and pouring chocolate sauce into the hole, then drizzling sauce over the tops. For a large souffle, spoon onto dessert plates and drizzle sauce on each serving.

You need to eat these directly out of the oven because they fall quickly. I took this picture maybe a minute after removing the ramekin from the oven and it had already fallen quite a bit.

If you're a fan of souffles or if you have never tried one before, you should try this one. My husband deemed it a great success. I'm excited to try different flavors and recipes now that I realize I am at least capable of making them.

Cheese Puffs

2010-01-23T15:19:00.000-08:00

Made up a batch of these for our New Year's Eve Party. They had great flavor, but ours toughened up as the cooled, so we enjoyed them most when they were hot out of the oven.

*1 loaf crusty French bread

*1/2 stick butter

*3 cloves garlic, minced

*1 whole shallot, minced

*1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

*8 oz. cream cheese, sliced (I used 1/3 less fat)

*1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, grated

*Salt and pepper, to taste

*2 egg whites, beaten

Cut French bread into 1-inch cubes; set aside. In a skillet, over medium heat, heat butter until melted. Add garlic and shallot and saute for about 1 minute. Add Dijon, stir to combine and reduce heat to low. Add cream cheese and stir until melted. Add cheddar cheese, slowly, and stir until melted.

Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and fold in egg whites.

Dunk bread cubes into cheese mixture to fully coat. Put coated cubes on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes. At this point the cubes can be stored in a freezer bag in the freezer until needed.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375. Place frozen cubes on a lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately.

I could have sworn I took pictures when we served these, but my camera tells me otherwise. Imagine a cheesy melted bread cube or look at the link above for pictures.

Roasted Potatoes

2010-01-17T17:10:00.000-08:00

This is a pretty simple side dish if you have a little time for it to roast.

*4-6 medium potatoes (I usually have russets on hand, but reds or Yukons work well, too)
*1/8 c. (ish) olive oil
*2 garlic cloves, minced
*1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
*1/2 tsp. onion powder
*1 tsp. Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 450. Wash potatoes and cut into quarters or eights (smaller cooks faster and has more surface area for yummy browning). Combine all ingredients in a ziptop bag or bowl, mix and toss in potatoes. Place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Place pan in oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, turning potatoes one or two times to get all sides golden brown. You can toss all sorts of herbs in with this to coordinate with whatever your main course is.

Powdered Sugar Biscuit Donuts topped with Homemade Coconut Syrup

2010-01-17T14:32:00.000-08:00

Okay guys, this dessert is special. I'm not kidding, you just have to try it.
Basically there are two parts to it. Powdered sugar biscuit donuts and coconut syrup. I know it sounds weird, but just trust me on this.

Growing up we would often make biscuit donuts as a family. They are really easy to make, really good, and they save a lot of hassle. All you need is a deep fryer, some plain old biscuit dough (I buy the 4 pack when I make these because they go so quick. Don't waste your money on the fancy Pillsbury biscuits. I find the store brand buttermilk or homestyle biscuits taste every bit as good in donut form), and some powdered sugar.

Biscuit Donuts

Step 1: Pour about 3-4" vegetable oil in your deep fryer (or whatever you use to fry stuff) and heat to 350 degrees.

Step 2: Open the biscuit can and take out the biscuits. Simply poke a hole in the middle of each biscuit with your finger and spread the dough out a bit.

Step 3: Drop about 3 biscuits into the deep fryer at a time and turn them when the bottom side is brown. These cook quickly, so be ready. Your instincts will tell you to remove them when they are a light golden brown, but you'll want to cook them a bit longer than this or they will be doughy inside. So, basically cook them to a dark golden brown color.

Step 4: Remove donuts from the deep fryer, pat dry with a paper towel, and transfer immediately to a paper sack containing about a cup of powdered sugar. Shake donuts around for a few seconds and remove.

Step 5: Repeat until all your donuts are cooked and coated.

So here's the deal. They're great by themselves. (Be sure to eat them warm because they're definitely not very good when they get cold.) However, I had an epiphany earlier this week and decided to combine the donuts with one of my favorite syrup recipes of all time. It's a coconut syrup and I got the recipe from a friend of mine here. It's so good and I could seriously drink the stuff. My husband and I make it all the time to put on our buttermilk pancakes, but when you combine it with these donuts, something special occurs. I kid you not.

So here's the recipe for the syrup: (Obtained from The Brick Bench)

Coconut Syrup

1 cube unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk

Bring to a boil...(It will get foamy). Take pan off the heat.

Add 1 tsp coconut extract (or to taste), and if you don't like coconut flavor you can just add vanilla extract. (But try the coconut at least once. You won't regret it!)

Plate a few donuts, then top very generously with the syrup and you will have one of the best desserts you've ever tried!

Or if you prefer, you can serve the sauce on the side and just dip your donuts.

Nelson Chip Dip

2010-01-15T07:55:00.000-08:00

This chip/veggie dip is a standard at all Nelson family parties. Credit is given to my grandpa for coming up with this.

*1 pkg cream cheese (use the 1/3 less fat if you'd like), very soft

*2-3 green onions, finely sliced

*6-ish strips of bacon, cooked and chopped
*1/4 green pepper, chopped

*1/2 tsp. garlic powder (more or less to taste)

*1/4 c. (appx) milk

Beat the cream cheese until fluffy and whipped. Add milk and mix to desired consistency. Beat in garlic powder to incorporate. Stir in green onions, green peppers, and bacon. This gets better as it sits, so make it a day ahead and refrigerate overnight. Stir in milk to thin if necessary before serving.

This household likes it with crinkly potato chips, carrots, radishes and celery. Enjoy.

Spice-Rubbed Turkey

2010-01-13T19:26:00.000-08:00

I was cleaning out my deep-freezer and found a turkey breast that was needing to be cooked. I had pulled this recipe several years ago and was happy to try it. The house smelled fantastic and everyone in the family really enjoyed dinner.

*1 boneless, skinless turkey breast half (about 2 lbs.)
*1 TBSP rosemary (fresh), chopped
*1 tsp. paprika
*1 tsp. Kosher salt
*1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
*3 TBSP olive oil
*1 TBSP lime juice

Preheat oven to 400. Combine all ingredients and rub onto turkey. Place on foil-lined baking sheet and bake about 50 minutes to a temp. of 160. Remove from oven, tent with foil for 5-10 minutes, slice and serve. I made roasted veggies as a side with this which worked great since they cooked at the same temp for about the same time.

Milk Gravy

2010-01-11T18:54:00.000-08:00

When my hubby and I started dating I was introduced to milk gravy and mashed potatoes, a Sunday favorite in his home. Unfortunately, this is one of those recipes my MIL could not give me because, "you just make it until it looks right"...which isn't usually much help when trying to recreate a dish.
This is basically a white sauce, and thankfully my 7th grade home-ec class provided me with a basic recipe.
*4 TBSP. butter
*4 TBSP. flour
*1/4 tsp. salt
*1/4 tsp. pepper (I use more than this, but most don't eat as much pepper as we do)
*1/2 tsp. chicken bouillon
*2 c. milk (whole works best, but since we use 1% here, I usually add a few TBSP. cream)

In a saucepan, over low heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and continue stirring until this forms a nice roux (gets thick and bubbly). Whisk in salt, pepper, and bouillon. Slowly whisk in milk and mix until smooth. Increase heat to med-high, stir constantly and the mix should thicken in a minute or so. The in-laws usually serve this with a Ritz chicken and she stirs in any remaining Ritz crumbs which is so tasty.

Roasted Veggies

2010-01-09T19:34:00.000-08:00

This is one of the most easy and tasty side dishes I know. These amounts feed our family of 4 just right.

*4 potatoes (red, russet, whatever you've got)
*1 c. baby carrots
*6-10 cloves garlic, peeled
*1/3 large purple onion, cut in wedges
*2-4 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil
*1-2 TBSP. Kosher salt
*1 tsp. pepper
*1 tsp. paprika
*1 TBSP rosemary, chopped

Preheat oven to 400. Wash potatoes and cut into quarters. On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss potatoes, carrots, garlic, and onion in oil to coat. Toss spices in to coat.

Bake 40-50 minutes until veggies are tender. I usually toss the veggies around on the baking sheet about halfway through cooking to make sure everything is good and oiled down.

Creamy Chicken Rice Soup

2010-01-07T19:55:00.000-08:00

I pulled this recipe and tried it today because I got to play favorite aunt this afternoon and knew a meal in a slow-cooker would be a huge help.
*4 c. chicken broth
*2 c. water
*6 chicken tenders
*1 box Rice-A-Roni Wild Rice
*1 carrot, grated
*1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
*1/2 c. butter
*3/4 c. flour
*1/2 tsp. pepper
*1/2 tsp. dry mustard (optional)
*1 can evaporated milk

In a slow-cooker, combine broth, water, rice (and seasoning packet), carrot, celery and chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Remove chicken and shred using two forks. Put chicken back into pot. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat melt butter. Whisk in flour and pepper and mustard. This will form a thick roux. Whisk in milk and continue to cook until thickened. Remove from heat and stir into slow-cooker. Cover and cook another 15-30 minutes.
This had great flavor. The original recipe recommended cooking for 6-8 hours. I cooked mine sic hours and the rice was a bit soft for me, which is why I think if you use the tenders vs. the chicken breasts 4-5 hours is probably good. Next time I might also combine everything except the rice to cook, adding the rice with about a couple hours to cook. My niece ate 3 bowls...I call that a success.

Can't find the pictures for this one...imagine a creamy soup with rice, chicken and veggies and we'll call it good.

Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake

2010-01-05T19:50:00.000-08:00

This recipe is a knock-off from a segment on The Best Thing I Ever Ate. Carlee put this together and her description of its deliciousness convinced me to try it one night.

You will need:

* vanilla ice cream
*marshmallows
*milk

Directions:

For a single serving, get about 4-6 large marshmallows depending on how sweet you want it. (Be sure to toast an extra one for the presentation...we always use 5 in the milkshake, but toast 6.) Place them on a piece of foil on a cookie sheet. Broil them on high in your oven (or 350 degrees in a toaster oven) until they become a deep golden brown. Take them out and flip them over so they can toast on the other side.

Once they are big and fluffy and golden brown, take them out and put them in a blender. Add about 1/8 c. milk (a little more if you want to drink through a straw) and about 1 c. packed vanilla ice cream. Blend away.

I served it with a toasted mallow on top and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. If you have Cool Whip or Reddi Whip, go ahead and put a heaping portion of that on top for an even creamier treat. The whipped cream also provides a nice place to stick your extra toasted marshmallow!

Chili (with Chocolate)

2010-01-02T19:52:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are reading this recipe for no other reason than the fact that you saw chocolate in the title, yeah, I made this for the same reason. Several years ago there a chili contest winner added a couple tablespoons of chocolate syrup to the recipe and I keep forgetting to try it. Weatherman predicted snow this evening, so chili it was. I loved that this took 5 minutes to prep, the house smelled great when I got home this afternoon and we all enjoyed eating it.

*1 can great northern beans
*1 can kidney beans
*1 can black beans
*1 1/4 c. chicken broth
*1 c. favorite salsa (I used mild and pureed it. You could also use a can of Mexican stewed tomatoes)
*3 TBSP chocolate syrup
*1 TBSP southwest seasoning
*1 TBSP chili powder

Rinse and drain beans. Combine all ingredients in a slow-cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve with sour cream and/or shredded cheese if you'd like (but really this has enough flavor to skip the toppings).

Popovers

2010-01-01T19:43:00.000-08:00

I can't say that I've ever tried popovers before tonight, but I've long been attracted to the cute popover pans I often see in cookware magazines. That said, I didn't want to buy the pan not knowing if I even liked the product. I found a recipe that specifically recommends making them in a cupcake pan so we gave them a try. My girls liked them and the man of the house ate more than his share saying they were a meal and a dessert. We'll be having them more often, possibly for breakfast (think German pancakes), likely with raspberry jam...or honey. Seriously, these are easy enough my hubby can make them anytime he'd like.

*2 eggs, room temperature
*1 c. milk, room temperature
*3/4 c. flour
*1/4 tsp. Kosher salt (1/8 tsp. if using table salt)
*3 TBSP. salted butter

Preheat oven to 450. Whisk the eggs, milk, flour and salt until mostly mixed (some lumps are ok). Cut the butter into 12 slivers, pop one piece into each well of a 12-well nonstick muffin tin.

Put the muffin tin in the oven until the butter is melted and foamy. Fill each cup half full with batter, then bake until popovers are puffed and brown, 15-20 minutes. DON'T OPEN THE OVEN DOOR TO PEEK. Serve immediately.