Saturday, December 22, 2007

Marie calendar's corn bread recipe

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup oil

mix dry ingredients together
mix wet ingredients together in a separate bowl
combine.
pour into ungreased 8x8 and bake 20-25 min at 400

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Savory baked chicken

10 garlic cloves
1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbsp grated lime rind
1 (4 1/2 pound) whole chicken
3 fresh cilantro sprigs
vegetable cooking spray
1 /2 tsp coarsely ground pepper

process garlic and 1 tsp salt in a food processor 2 seconds until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. remove and reserve 1 Tbsp garlic mixture. stir together remaining garlic mixture, yogurt, and lime rind.

if applicable, remove giblets from chicken and reserve another for use. Rinse chicken, and pat dry. loosen and lift skin from chicken with fingers. do not detach skin. spread reserved 1 Tbsp garlic mixture evenly underneath the skin. Place cilantro sprigs underneath skin. carefully replace skin, and secure with wooden picks. spread yogurt mixture evenly over chicken and inside cavity. cover and chill 8 hours.

preheat oven to 375. wipe excess yogurt mixture from outside of chicken with paper towel. place chicken on a lightly greased wire rack in an aluminum foil lined broiler or jelly roll pan. coat chicken with cooking spray and sprinkle with pepper and remaining 1/2 tsp salt.

bake at 375 for 45 minutes; cover loosely, and bake 25 more minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 165. let chicken stand for 10 minutes before slicing.



Using left overs from this savory baked chicken:


SPICY CHICKEN-RICE BOWL

1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain rice
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup light coconut milk
3 Tbsp red curry paste
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 Savory baked chicken, shredded (about 3 cups)
1 1/2 cups fresh steamed green beans cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

prepare rice according to package instructions

melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. cook, whisking constantly 1 minute. gradually whisk in chicken broth, milk and coconut milk. cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 2 minutes or until mixture is thick and bubbly. stir in curry paste and next 3 ingredients. stir in chicken, green beans, and red bell pepper strips into curry mixture; cook 2 more minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro. serve chicken mixture over rice. sprinkle with remaining cilantro. serve with lime wedges.

Peanut Broccoli Stir Fry

1 (16oz) package firm tofu
2 cups uncooked brown rice
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
3/4 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
1 tsp dark sesame oil
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 cup carrot sticks
2 Tbsp chopped peanuts
lime wedge garnish

Place tofu between 2 flat plates. weight the top with a heavy can. Sides of tofu should be bulgins slightly but not cracking. let stand about 45 minutes; discard liquid. cut tofu into 1/2 inch cubes

prepare rice according to package directions, adding 1/2 tsp salt.

meanwhile, combine vegetable broth and next 7 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well. Add tofu, and toss to coat. let stand 10 minutes. remove tofu from marinade.

heat oils in nonstick skillet or wok over high heat for 1 minute. add tofu, and stir fry 4-5 minutes or until browned. remove tofu. add broccoli and carrot sticks; stir fry 2 minutes. add reserved marinade, and bring to a boil. cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until thickened; stir in tofu. serve over hot cooked rice. sprinkle with chopped peanuts. garnish.

Slow cooker veggie chili

2 large carrots diced
2 celery ribs diced
1 medium sized sweet onion, diced
vegetable cooking spray
2 (8 oz) packages sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large zucchini chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp seasoned pepper
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
3 cups tomato juice
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
4 (15 oz) cans pinto, black, great Northern, or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen whole kernal corn

Saute first 3 ingredients in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium high heat 10 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add mushrooms, zucchini, and squash; saute 3 more minutes. Add chili powder and next 2 ingredients, and saute 5 more minutes

stir together tomato sauce and tomato juice in a 6 quart slow cooker until smooth. stir in diced tomatoes and next 2 ingredients, and carrot mixture. cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Smokin Macaroni and Cheese

1 lb uncooked cellentani pasta
2 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
2 cups smoked cheese (gouda or other)
1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground red pepper, divided
1 (8 oz) package chopped cooked smoked ham
2 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed
2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. prepare cellantani pasta according to directions. Transfer hot pasta to a large bowl

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. gradually whisk in flour until smooth; cook whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and evaporated milk; cook whisking constantly, 3-5 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in Gouda, cream cheese, salt and 1/4 tsp ground red pepper until smooth. remove from heat and stir in ham.

combine pasta and Gouda cheese mixture, and pour in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Stir together 2 cups crushed cereal, 2 Tbsp melted butter, and remaining 1/4 tsp ground red pepper; sprinkle over pasta mixture.

bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Three Cheese Pasta Bake

1 (8oz) package penne pasta
2 Tbsp butter
2Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese divided (swiss cheese may be substituted)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
pinch of ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350

prepare pasta according to instructions

melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. whisk in flour; cook whisking constantly 1 minute. gradually whisk in milk and half and half; cook whisking constantly , 3-5 minutes or until thickened. stir in cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup gruyere cheese, and next 3 ingredients until smooth.

stir together pasta and cheese mixture, and pour into 4 lightly greased 11x7 inch baking dishes (if using 8 oz backing dished, place in a jelly roll pan for easy baking and proceed as directed.) top with remaining 1/2 cup gruyere.

bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Monday, December 03, 2007

dinner on wednesday

my friend katie gave me some left over pesto from a camping trip so i looked for recipes requiring pesto. both of these are from rachel ray's website. i am making both of these dishes for dinner on wednesday. hopefully they are good!





Tomato-Vegetable-Pasta Stoup

Rachael Ray
From Every Day with Rachael Ray
October 2007

SIX SERVINgs

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 zucchini, grated using the large holes of a box grater
2 carrots, peeled and grated using the large holes of a box grater
1 onion, chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
One 15.5-ounce can chickpeas
2 jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
1/2 pound whole wheat penne rigate
1/4 cup store-bought pesto


1. heat the 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, carrots, onion, celery and bay leaf, then season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, about 8 minutes. Have your GH help you stir in the broth, tomatoes, chickpeas and red peppers; cover the pot and bring it all to a boil.
2. When the broth begins to boil, remove the lid. Then add the pasta and cook until al dente, 15 to 20 minutes. turn off the heat, then stir in the pesto. If the stoup gets too thick, stir in a little water to thin it out. Taste the stoup and season with more salt and pepper if you like; discard the bay leaf and serve.





Kids - Not-Your-Mama's Tuna Salad

Rachael Ray
From Every Day with Rachael Ray
June-July 2006

4 SERVINGS

Ingredients

1 tub (1 cup) store-bought pesto sauce, such as Buitoni brand
Juice of 1 lemon
Two 6-ounce cans water-packed tuna, drained
4 scallions, cut into thin strips with kitchen scissors or chopped

1 jarred whole roasted red pepper, cut into small pieces with kitchen scissors or chopped
Handful of grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 pound medium shell pasta—cooked al dente, rinsed under cold water and drained well
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Place the pesto in a large bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Add the tuna and flake it with a fork. Add the scallions, roasted red pepper, tomatoes and pasta, and toss the salad to coat evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sunday, December 02, 2007

2 great recipes

i made these two recipes the past week and they were delicious! they are both from the Rachel Ray 30 minute meals magazine i found at work.

Chicken and Veggie Pie


2/3 c rice
3 tbspn olive oil
1/4 c parmesan cheese
1 large egg, beaten
pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 10 oz package frozen whole leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dry ( i used fresh)
2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
salt
1 store bought rotisserie chicken ( i used the other half left over from the curry soup
shredded
9 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

1. preheat oven to 425. in a small saucepan combine the rice with 1 1/3 c water. cover and simmer over medium heat until water is absorbed. let cool


2. brush sides of a 9 in pie pan with 1 tbspn olive oil. in a medium bowl, combine the cooled rice, parm cheese, egg and pinch of pepper. using lightly oiled fingers or a rubber spatula press the rice mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. bake for 10 minutes. set aside to cool.

3. in a large skillet, heat remaining 2 tbpsn olive oil. add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and cook stirring occasionaly until golden and tender. stir in the spinach and rosemary, season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes more. remove from heat and let cool slightly. stir in the chicken and 1 c cheddar cheese.

4. lower the oven to 375. fill crust with the chicken-veggie filling, leaving 1 inch border at the top of the crust. sprinkle the remaing 1 1/4 cup cheddar cheese on top. bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

yumm!!!









Fire Roasted Manhatten clam Chowder


6 slices thick cut bacon, cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick
3 tbspn olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 ribs celery with leafy greens, stalks and leaves finally chopped separately
1 large baking potato
one 28 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
one 14.5 oz can chicken broth
two 10 oz cans baby clams or chopped clams packed in water, liquid reserved
salt / pepper

1. in a large saucepan over medium heat cook the bacon stirring occasionally until the fat renders about 6 minutes. discard the fat. add the olive oil and garlic and cook stirring until golden 2-3 minutes. add the onion and celery stalks and cook, stirring until softened, about 6 mintues. stir in the potato, the tomatoes and their juice and the chicken broth and bring to a boil. reduce the heat and simmer until the potato is tender 15-20 minutes.

2. stir in the clams with their liquid and cook to warm through. stir in the chopped celery leaves and season with salt/pepper.

***very delicious!!! serve with red lobster biscuits.****

Monday, November 26, 2007

simply the best

i have found one of the best soups ever!!! it is a curry soup and tastes just like a restaurant!! if you like curry at all, or want to try something more ethnic you should definitely try this!


Curried Chicken Soup

2 tbspn butter
1 bunch scallions, white and green portions thinly sliced seperately
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tsp curry powder (i used yellow)
1 32 oz container chicken broth
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 large baking potate, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded and meat shredded
1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed
salt/pepper
3/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt


1. in a large saucepan, melt the butter ove medium heat. ad the scallion whites, bell pepper, and curry powder and cook, stirring, until tender about 3 minutes. ad the chicken broth, cauliflower, and potato and bring to a boil. lower the heat, partially cover and simmer until veggies are tender 10-12 minutes

2. stir in the chicken and chickpeas and cook until heated through about 2 minutes. stir in the scallion greens and season with salt and pepper. stir in the yogurt just before serving (i just added a dollop of yogurt to every bowl, that way i didn't spoil the leftovers)


oh my gosh- this is sooooo good! i bought the rotisserie chicken at costco (i just bought a membership today) and used half of it. i saved all the breast meatto make a chicken salad with and it was still plenty of meat in the soup. i got this from a rachel ray 30 minute meals magazine ifound at work. i am asking for the magazine for christmas! we are going to try a fire roasted clam chowder on wednesday from the same magazine. i'll let yoyu know how it goes.

the latest and greatest

the latest and greatest

alright, i have found it- the REAL best cookie recipe ever!! i will bet money on this one. i got it from a girl in my small group. beware, this recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies. she said she usually halves the recipe and still has a ton of cookies.

Monster Cookies

4 eggs
10.5 oz brown sugar (about 1/3 of a 2 lb bag)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbspn vanilla
1 tbspn baking soda
1 1/2 sticks butter
2 cups creamy peanut butter
6 cups oats
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup coconut

bake at 350 for 10 minutes


they don't even have flour....they are sooo delicious!!!

Thursday, October 18, 2007

reporting back

I made the mediterranean humus pizza last week. it was really good- different than what i expected, but really tasty all the same. i also made Aunt jan's Magic Marinade too. eric grilled it outside and it was delicious! and, i finally tried your mexican rice recipe and it was good. i still like the other one better though- it seems more compact or more tomatoey or something. but your recipe was quick and tasted just like restaurant mex rice!
tonight we are trying something new. not sure how it will go but here's the recipe:

Grilled Stuffed Pizza Burgers

2 lb ground beef/turkey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped pepperoni
2 tbspn sliced ripe olives
1/2 cup pizza sauce
6 slices mozz cheese, cut in half diagonally
6 burger buns
6 leaves lettuce

1. heat grill. in large bowl, mix ground beef and salt. shape mixure into 12 thin patties, each aabout 4 inches in diamter

2. in small bowl, mix pepperoni, olives and 1/3 cup pizza sauce. spoon rounded tbspn pepperoni mixture onto center of 6 patties, spread slightly. top with remaining patties, press edges together firmly to seal.

3. place patties on grill. cover grill and cook over medium heat 8-12 minutes, turning once untnil done. during last 1-2 minutes of cooking time top each patty with cheese and rounded teaspoon of remaining pizza sauce and place buns, cut side down, on grill. cook until cheese is melted and buns toasted.

4. to serve place lettuce and patties on bottom halves of buns. cover with top halves (this is a silly step, why do they need to include that?!)


sounds like it could be really good.

Monday, September 17, 2007

finally!

i finally found a chocolate chip cookie recipe that actually gives me photo worthy cookies!! i googled "otis spunkmeyer cookies" and got this recipe a few times so i went ahead and tried it! wow!!!


Recipe Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped English Walnuts

Cooking Directions:
1. Combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl and mix with a whisk. Set aside. Melt butter/shortening in a microwave oven (use a microwave safe mixing bowl or a glass measuring cup) stopping and stirring every 15 seconds. Stop when the butter is more of a paste (usually about 45-60 seconds). Pour over granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat well. Add each egg separately beating until creamy. Add flour mixture (1/2 cup at a time) while beating. Refrigerate for 1-3 hours in covered bowl. Pre-heat oven to 375

2. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.


i just used all butter instead of any shortening b/c i've gotten rid of all shortening. it has a lot of really bad stuff in it for you, and butter tastes better anyway!! i didn't do the nuts either cuz i don't really like them. and i substituted whole wheat flour for half the flour called for. so i think the secret must be....refridgerate the dough!!!! these cookies seriously looked like the ones you see on commercials...they were all fluffy and chewy and gooey and thick and they didn't flatten out!!!!! i am so excited. i've been searching for this all my life :) anyway, you should try the recipe. it tastes just as good as they look. eric wanted more chocolate chips too, so i put the whole bag in (which actually ends up being 2 cups, just what the recipe calls for) i don't like the chocolate so much, but i made them for him for a special "good job working on grad school so hard" treat. hope you like them!

chicken, edamame, and noodle stir-fry

Katie gave me her old magazine, "Martha Stewart everyday food", and it has some really good recipes in it. i made this stir fry tonight and it was a real winner (i couldn't taste so much but eric really liked it)

ingredients:

salt/pepper
8 oz udon noodles (i found these easily in the asian section at smith's)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into thin strips
1 tbsn corn starch
2 tbsn veg oil
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 green cabbage (about 1 lb), thinly sliced
2 cups frozen shelled edamame (this is found usually with the frozen veggies at most groceries)
2 tbsn rice vinegar
2 tbspn soy sauce

serves 4

1. bring large pot salted water to cook noodles to boil according to package instructions. drain, rinse under cold water, drain again, set aside

2. while pasta is cooking, in medium bowl toss chicken with cornstarch, season with salt/pepper. in large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbspn oil over med-high heat.l cook chicken until light brown on the outside and opaque throughout. transfer to plate (reserve skillet)

3. add remaingin oil to skillet. add onion and garlic. cook, stirring frequently until softened. add cabbage, and cook stirring fequently until tender, 2-4 minutes.

4. add edamame, vinegar, soy sauce, chicken and noodles to skillet. season with salt and pepper. cook, tossing until noodles and edamame are warmed through.

it was really good. i really liked those udon noodles. we ate it with chopsticks and all!

i also made a less-fatty waldorf salad from the same book:

apple, grape and celery salad

1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced on the diagnoal
1 granny smith apple, cored, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1 tbspn white wine vinegar
1 tbspn olive oil
salt /pepper


1. toaste pecans in 350 degree oven until lghtly browned, 4-6 minutes

2. in large bowl combine celery, apple, grapes, pecans, vinegar, oil and toss to combine.


it was pretty good. a nice side dish, although i still like bob's waldorf salad better. it was light and tasty though.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

last week's salads

Herby Potato Salad (i serve it with grilled chicken for a complete meal)
ingredients:
1 lb new potatoes
salt and pepper
16 vine ripened cherry tomatoes, halved
generous 3/8 cup black olives, pittled and coarsely chopped (i omitted this b/c i forgot to buy them)
4 scallions, finely sliced
2 tbspn chopped fresh parsely
2 tbspn chopped fresh mint
2 tbspn chopped fresh cilantro
juice of 1 lemon
3 tbspn olive oil

cook potatoes in pan of lightly salted boiling water for 15 minutes until tender. drain, let cool s lightly before peeling off the skinds (i didn't peel the skins, i left them on). cut into halves of fourths,(i cut them before i boiled them). then combine with the tomatoes, olives, scallions, and herbs in a salad bowl.

mix the lemon juice and oil together in a small bowl and pour over the potato salad. season with salt and pepper to taste before serving. yum!! i love this one!!!



Walnut, pear, and crispy bacon salad

ingredients:
1/2 lb bacon (i used turkey)
generous 5/8 cup walnuts halves
2 pears, cored and sliced lengthwise
1 tbspn lemon juice
spring mix salad

dressing:
3 tbspn olive oil
2 tbspn lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon
salt and pepper

preheat broiler to high. arrange bacon on foil lined broiler pan and cook under the broiler until well browned and crips. let cool then cut into 1/2 inch pieces *** i used turkey bacon and pan fried it instead of using the broiler b/c it makes my kitchen too hot to work in. i put a little olive oil in a pan and then added the pre-sliced up turkey bacon to make it crispier. i fried it until crisp****
meanwhile, heat a dry skillet over medium heat and lightly toast the walnuts, shaking the skillet frequently for 3 minutes until lightly browned, let cool.

toss the pears in the lmeon juice to prevent discoloration. pu the salad mix, walnuts, pears, and bacon into a salad bowl.

to make the dressing, whisk the oil, lemon juice and honey together in a small bowl. season to taste with salt and pepper, then pour ovver the salad. toss to combine.

this one was really yummy too. a little lighter so i bought some fresh bread and some spreadable herbed goat cheese and we had that with it too.

i'll try that pizza next time i got to the grocery store. i went to the farmer's market this moring and bought a bunch of fresh veggies and a chicken marinade so we'll probably have that this week (plus i am working 4 12 hour shifts this week and don't have time to make dinner!!)

have a schwell week!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

ham and mozarella panini

1 loaf italian bread uncut
1 chunk fresh mozarella (the kind with the water in it)
ham for sandwiches
baby spinach

cut the bread lengthwise
put a layer of cheese sliced then spinach then ham then cheese again.

spread some olive oil on a baking sheet. put the sandwich on top. brush the top with more olive oil. put another baking sheet on top. heat oven to 450 and put it in for 20-25 min. squish it down a couple of times while cooking.

Monday, August 13, 2007

menu and recipes

Mediterranean Hummus Pizza

(gonna try this one tonight, so I'll let you know if it is good)

1 Pizza crust
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 pressed garlic clove

toppings:
2 plum tomatoes
1/4 medium red onion
1 2 inch piece of cucumber
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 (7 oz) container hummus spread
2 (6oz) jars quartered marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1/3 cup mediterranean seasoned feta cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 425 and roll your dough out onto a baking sheet/stone. combine garlic and oil and brush evenly over dough. bake for 12-14 minutes or until light golden brown

slice tomatoes in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds and then dice. thinly slice onion. slice cucumber into slices and then quarters. coarsely chop olives with food chopper.

remove pizza crust from oven and spread hummus evenly over the crust. arrange tomatoes, onion, cucumber, olives and artichokes over hummus. sprinkle with cheese. cut into squares.


BABY SPINACH SALAD WITH TUNA

2 Tbsp plain low fat yogurt
1-2 tsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
coarse salt and ground pepper
baby spinach
1/2 cups seedless red grapes halved lengthwise
3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 can tuna
flat bread (optional) I am going to use spinach wraps and make it into a wrap

In a small bowl whisk together yogurt, dijon, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. place dressing in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container. place spinach grapes, and onion in another container. just before serving, drain tuna and add to sald and toss with dressing.

FLOUNDER WITH TOMATO-ONION RAGOUT

( I used Tilapia bc I couldn't find flounder)
olive oil
red onion thinly sliced
cherry or grape tomatoes halved
white-wine vinegar
coarse salt
pepper
fish fillets
parsley

in a non stick skillet heat oil over medium add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned. add tomatoes and cook stirring occasionally until slightly collapsed.
remove skillet from heat. add vinegar; stir to combine. season with salt and pepper ( I didn't have white wine vinegar so I used white wine and rice vinegar and just put a splash of each in there. it was good)
remove to a bowl and cover and keep warm
wipe clean with paper towels your skillet. put a little more oil in an dheat over medium high. season fish with salt and pepper, place in skillet. cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. with a wide metal spatula; carefully turn fish over. cook until opaque throughout; about 1 minute. transfer fish to a dinner plate. spoon tomato-onion ragout over fish; serve with couscous or rice. (I used seasoned wild rice. it was very tasty) Darin said he wanted it put into heavy rotation on the menu. he even ate the tomatoes!!! Sprinkle parsley on top.

CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP

3 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped shallots
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3 Tbsp flour
3 pounds asparagus trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
coarse salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
2-3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

In a large (4qt) saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and thyme; cook unitl shallots are soft, about 5 minutes. add flour, cook until incorporated stirring constantly, about 1 min.

add asparagus and 6 cups water; season generously with salt. cover and bring to a boil. reduce heat; cover and simmer, until asparagus is a bright green and just tender, 2-4 minutes

working in small batches, puree soup in a blender until very smooth. to prevent splattering, fill blender only half way, allow heat to escape. remove cap from hole in lid and cover lid with a dishtowel. if serving right away, stir in cream and lemon juice. to freeze, leave out the cream and lemon juice. cool to room temp before dividing among airtight containers leaving 1 inch of space at the top. freeze for up to 2 months. defrost overnight in refrigerator; reheat over low heat. sit in cream and lemon juice just before serving.

Friday, July 13, 2007

Rita's Pizza Sauce

This is a recipe we got from darin's mom. it is really good

1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
6 ozs. warm water
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tsp minced garlic ( I put 2 cloves)
1 Tbsp honey
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp marjaron
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
salt to taste
mix all together in a small bowl and let sit for 30 minutes.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Creamy spaghetti primavera by rachel ray

i think you may already have a spaghetti primavera recipe, but this one was really good. eric even made half of it!


5 to 6 cups chicken broth
2 tbspn olive oil
2 tbspn butter
3 garlic cloves
1 pound spaghetti
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 carrots, cut into thin sticks
1 zucchini, cut into thin sticks
2 tbspn chopped fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup dry white wine (used white cooking wine)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
grated peel of one lemon
snipped chives for sprinkling on top

1. in saucepan, simmer broth over medium heat

2. in large , deep skillet, heat olive oil and butter ov er medium high heat. stir in the garlic. add the spaghetti and toast lightly, about 2 minutes. add onion, carrots, zucchinie and thyme. season with salt and pepper. cook until veggies soften, stiring often about 5minutes. add wine and cook until completely absorbed. add few ladelfuls of warm broth and stir the pasta. keep adding broth a few ladlefuls at a time letting the liquid absorb before adding more. stir often, like you woule prepare a risotto, until all the liquid is absorbed and the spaghetti is al dente 12 to 15 mninutes.

3. stir in the cream and cheese into the pasta, remove from heat and stire for one minute longer, until cheese is melted and creamy. sserve pasta in shallow bowls with the lemon peel and chives.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Award Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Award Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
Submitted by: Debbi Borsick
Rated: 5 out of 5 by 3795 members Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 12 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 40 Minutes
Yields: 72 servings
"Everybody wants this recipe when I take them in for a carry-in. To make them award winning, my daughter, Tegan, made them for a cookie baking contest and won a red ribbon! You can use any flavor pudding you like for this recipe."
INGREDIENTS:
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla
pudding mix
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

Saturday, June 09, 2007

Magic Marinade from Aunt Jan in WA

Here's the recipe I told you about.Twenty-four hours in this brew will transform Cheapo Chucksteak into Royal Ribeye, guaranteed! This is enough for 8 steaks, at least.
For the 2 of us, I cut it to 1/4 recipe. The magic ingredient is
the cloves. It is for chicken, too, but I have not tried it that
way. For beef, just seek out the nicest looking chuck steak you can
find, then use this marinade:

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 T. ground dry mustard
2 teaspoons salt
1 T. ground black pepper
1 1/2 T. chopped fresh parsley (or 1 teaspon dried parsley)
2 T. ground cloves

Mix well with a whisk or in a jar, then pour over steaks in 1 or 2 gallon-size zip-lock bags. Put in frig overnight or longer, turning the bags over once in awhile. ( To hurry things up, you can do a few hours of this just leaving the meat on the kitchen counter, but the longer time will produce a much more tender and flavorful result.)

Bon Appetit! Aunt Jan

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

leftovers salad

i made 2 different salads the past 2 nights and had some left over herbs and veggies i wanted to use. so i loosely followed one of the recipes in the book and made this:

some potatos (as many as you think you'd eat for the meal- i used 3 medium sized russet potatoes but i think new potatoes or red potatoes would work best)

1 medium sized tomato thickly diced(this is just enough for eric and me, maybe one other person)
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
3-4 tbspn chopped cilantro
2 tbspn chopped chives
3 tbspn chopped basil
juice of one lemon
3 tbspn olive oil
salt and pepper for topping on salad
2 chicken breasts- grilled with salt and pepper (eric grilled them outside with a bit of olive oil on both sides too)

boil potatoes in lightly salted water until tender
put in salad bowl
add onion, cilantro, chives, basil and tomato
cut grilled chicken into strips, add to salad bowl
whisk together lemon juice and olive oil and pour over salad

enjoy! serve warm. it's simple, but oh sooo good!

Sunday, May 27, 2007

the best salad book ever

hey fuhz,

that salad book you gave me for my birthday is soooo great! thank you so much. i made my first one tonight, but i have about 15 more recipes marked. tonight we had a salad and eric grilled some fish outside. it was such a refreshing and tasty meal. here is the first salad recipe that kicks butt!

Tomato Salad with Feta Cheese (it sounds simple but boy is it good)

12 plum tomatoes, sliced (the store was out so i bought tomatoes on the vine and just sliced them)
1 very small red onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 package baby spring greens
15 Greek olives (black or green, i bought them from an olive bar in the deli section- our's were green in a basil, olive oil mix)
7 oz feta cheese
1 egg
some flour
some olive oil


dressing
3 tbspn extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano ( i used dried)
pinch of sugar
pepper


make dressing by whisking the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and sugar and pepper in a small bowl. set aside.

prepare slad by arranging the tomatoes, oinion, green, and olives on plates (i put it all in one bowl to serve from)

cut the feta cheese into cubes about 1 inch square. beat the egg in a dish and put the flour on a separate plate. coat the cheese in the egg and shake off the excess, then coat in the flour.

heat olive oil in large skillet, add cheese and cook over medium heat turning over hte cubes of cheese until they are golden on all sides

scatter the fried feta over the salad. whisk together the perepared deressing and spoon over the salad. serve warm




yum!


alot of the recipes call for some 'nicer" ingredients that might be more expensive. i have decided though that theyall sound so yummy that it's worth tgiving it a try to see what it does to our grocery budget. and the way i feel now after eating such a yummy and healthy meal (we had fish too) makes the money worth spending. enjoy!

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

best cookies ever!! according to darin :)

Hersheys Premier White Chips and Macadamia Pieces cookies

6 Tbsp butter, softened
1/3 cup butter flavored shortening
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cup (8 oz package) white chips and macadamia pieces

1. Heat oven to 350

beat butter and shortening in a large bowl until blended. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar; beat thoroughly. Add egg and vanilla, beating until well blended. stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually beat into butter mixture. stir in baking pieces. drop by rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. cool slightly, remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. cool completely. about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Saturday, May 05, 2007

chicken, peppers, and onion with linguine

i found this recipe on foodnetwork.com from rachael ray. i had to modify it a bit b/c it was so spicy hot!

1 pound linguine
olive oil
1 1/2 lb skinless, bonelss chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
2 tbspn chopped fresh thyme (i used dried)
2 tspn lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (i accidentally dumped a whole lot more than this in and it was sooooo hot, i couldn't eat it very well b/c it was so hot! so next time i think i will omit this ingredient all together b/c i like the other flavors so much)
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cubanelle pepper seeded and thinly sliced (i couldn't find any so i didn't use this but they are supposed to be a mild pepper and probably wouldn't be too hot. i think they are also called banana peppers)
1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
1 large sweet onion, quartered and thinly sliced
black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
one 28oz can crushed tomotoes
grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (i didn't have any)

1. bring large pot of water to boil. add salt, then pasta, cook until al dente

2. heat a large deep skillet over high heat. add olive oil, add chicken and cook over high heat until lightly browned. sprinkle the thyme, zest and red pepper flakes over the chicken and stir to combine. add the garlic, peppers and onion and season with salt and pepper. cook for 5 minutes stirring now and then until the veggies are soft. add the wine and scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan (i never have any 'bits'. i have decided this is b/c i cook with non stick pans and they use real stainless steel on the food network channel) stir in the broth and tomatoes and bring to a bubble. simmer in the sauce for 10 minutes.

3. combine the cooked pasta with the chicken pepper and onion sauce with a little grated cheese. serve at once and pass around extra cheese at the table.


**after i zested the lemon i squeezed one lemon's juice into the sauce(i added it when i added the broth and tomatoes) i really like the citris flavor of this dish so the extra lemon juice just enhanced that.


this was really good. a simple dish with some different ingredients and a complex flavor. it was yummy!!!

Monday, April 16, 2007

thai style chicken soup

this is the best soup i've ever had! it takes some special ingredients i got at the asian market in town, but this has to be one of my favorite all time recipes ever. after you do it a couple of times i am sure it wont take as long as the first time.


ingredients:
1 tsp vegetable oil
3 lemon grass stalks, outer leaves removed, trim top and bottom (like you would a green onion), halved lengthwise and sliced thin crosswise
3 large shallots, chopped
8 sprigs fresh cilantro
3 tbsp fish sauce
4 c chicken broth
2 (14oz) can coconut milk
1 tbspn sugar
1/2 # white mushrooms, sliced (you can omit these if you want)
1 # chicken breasts, sliced on bias into 1/8" thick pieces
3 tbspn lime juice
2 tsp thai red curry paste

garnish:
1/2 c fresh cilantro
2 serrano chiles (i didn't do this- too hot)
2 green onions, sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges


preparation:

1. heat oil, add lemon grass, shallots, cilantro and 1 tbspn fish sauce; cook stirring frequently until softened (not brown)
2. stir in chicken broth and 1 can coconut milk, bring to simmer, cover, decrease heat, simmer till flavors blended, about 10 minutes. pour broth through fine mesh strainer and discard solids in strainer. return broth mixture to pan
3. return p an to medium high heat, stir in remaining can of coconut milk and sugar. bring to simmer, decrease heat to medium, add mushrooms and cook till tender (2-3 minutes). add chicken and cook, stirring constantly until non longer pink (1-3 minutes). remove soup from heat
4. combine lime juice, curry paste, and remaining fish sauce in a small bowl. stir into soup.
5. garnish with cilantro, scallions and lime.

** i make a cup of rice first and put rice in the bottom of my bowl and then spoon the soup over the rice. it gives it a little more texture and fills you up.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

our menu for 2 weeks

let me know if you want any recipes from this

artichoke chicken

tacos

mediterranean frittata

spaghetti

chicken fajitas

roast beef with vegetables

dolmadas

spanish noodles

chef salad with chicken

Friday, April 13, 2007

American Shish Kabobs

here's what we are having tonight:

Shish Kabob

marinade:
some olive oil
1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 c red wine or maybe cooking sherry
some lemon juice
some garlic
little salt
some rosemary
some pepper

we are marinading chicken and steak ( i just bought some steak i don't really know how b/c i don't buy it very often)
i think you have to soak the skewers in water first, so do that. then thread the meat on. we are also threading on quatered onions, mushrooms (maybe you'd like them i f they were grilled!), green bell peppers, tomatoes, and one granny smith apple(i've never tried this before but it sounds really good)

actually i've never tried this entire recipe before and i am kinda making it up but i think it sounds like it has a lot of potential. it's pretty easy, you get your protein and your vegetable all in "one fell swoop". i am making red lobster biscuits to go with it too.

i googled shish kabobs and actually didn't come up with a lot of good recipes. maybe i'll keep looking. i'll let you know how this meal turns out.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

fresh herbs

I have been looking on Rachael Ray's 30 minutes meals website and a lot of the recipes look really good. But i've noticed she uses a lot of fresh herbs in all her meals, which sounds really good to me. however, fresh herbs are expensive and, i feel, hard to find. wal mart sells small packets of them in the produce section but they are just dang expensive. do you use a lot of fresh herbs and where do you find them? last summer my attempts are growing all the wonderful herbs myself were thwarted by all the shade around our house. i might try to cut down some branches and grow them on the roof of our little patio this summer. i'll have to look. it's such bummer after growing up with bob's garden and being able to go out to the garden and get unlimited supplies of these fresh herbs. i never knew how much you had to pay for that sort of thing! anyway, i was just hoping you had some ideas for herbs and if you use them dried or fresh when you make things. i will try out some of these recipes from the website and post them if they are any good.

i haven't posted in a long time b/c i haven't done anything really new or interesting. with the warmer weather we have heated up our outdoor grill and eric's been making dinners- cavender's chicken, lawry salt chicken, tonight we are doing a garlic lime grilled chicken which i think i posted back a while ago. we do some wild rice in the rice cooker with a cube of buillon and a steamed vegetable for the whole meal. then i don't feel bad eating ice cream for dessert b/c dinner was so light. actually, i made a really good chicken salad for dinner last week. i will post that recipe. we made the meal and packed it up in that sweet picnic backpack you gave us for christmas and rode our bikes to the park. it was really fun!

also, have you tried cooking/baking with organic products? if you have do you think they make any difference in taste? i've tried organic tomato sauces and haven't really tasted a difference. i notice the difference in my dairy products and bread products- maybe just the raw stuff. we always buy the regular frozen vegetables b/c they never go bad and then just steam them quickly for dinner. but the other week i bought a fresh broccoli b/c it was on sale and it was so much better than the frozen! i just don't want to keep buying it b/c if we dont' use it fast enough it will go bad.

on a completely different note- i found the receipt for my birthday present from eric a couple weeks ago. he put it behind my spoon and spatula container on the kitchen countertop and i was wiping down the counter and of course i found it. for some reason it came up this week and he found out so he gave me my present early! he got me an altimeter watch off of steep and cheap. it's pretty fun, but has a very large face.

well, post back when you get the chance. that chocolate cake looks really good. i'll have to try it. i made the beet cake for eric's birthday party and everyone loved it!

chicken fajita marinade and killer Mexican rice

I don't know if I've given you this recipe for mexican rice or not, but it is by far the best I've ever used.

Mexican Rice recipe

1 tsp salt
1 clove minced garlic
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
2 cups chicken broth (I use boullion most of the time)
1/2 cup tomato puree (I use salsa)
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion

heat oil. add rice and cook until golden. add and saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic. add salt, tomato and broth. simmer until tender about 20 minutes with the lid on just like other rice.

Fajita Marinade
Chicken or turkey
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper

marinate overnight or as long as you want. I marinaded it for several hours. I think the lime is what makes this taste so good, so don't leave that out!!

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Fudgy Chocolate Layer Cake

I made this for Grandma's birthday, and it was delicious. Grandma said it was one of the best chocolate cakes she'd ever eaten.

3/4 c. butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 1/4 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 3/4 c. buttermilk
2 eggs, at room temp.
3/4 c. whipping cream
1 1/2 c. semisweet choco chips

preheat oven to 350. grease and flour 2 9-inch round cake pans. in a saucepan, melt butter and chocolate, stirring over low heat.

combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl of electric mixer. add chocolate mixture, buttermilk and eggs. beat on low speed for 1 minute, then increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

divide batter between cake pans. bake until cake springs back when gently pressed, 25-30 min. cook in pans 5 minutes; invert onto wire rack.

meanwhile, bring cream just to a boil. remove from heat and stir in choco chips; mix until frosting is smooth and starts to thicken.

Place 1 cooled layer on cake plate. spread with 1/3 cup of frosting. top with second layer. frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.

Meaty cheese manicotti

Meaty Cheese Manicotti

1 package manicotti shells
½ lb Italian sausage
½ lb ground round or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups whipping cream
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 (14 ½ oz) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic & oregano, DRAINED
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
¾ cups shredded parmesan cheese


Cook pasta according to package. Rinse in cold water. Drain and set aside.

Remove casing from sausage and discard. Cook sausage, ground round and onion in a large skillet until done. Drain.

Add wine to skillet. Bring to a boil. Add whipping cream and Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, set aside.

Combine meats, tomatoes, and mozzarella. Spoon into manicotti shells. Arrange in lightly greased 9 x 13 baking dish.

Bake covered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover and pour cream mixture evenly over shells. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 10 minutes more. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.

Saturday, March 24, 2007

chicken pot pie soup

This is really yummy and I don't know if it's cuz of the noodles or the recipe, so try to make it with noodles made with egg yolks and wheat flour. The kind I got are amish and are square like 2 inches by 2 inches.

4 cups broth, water or combination ( I made my own by throwing a whole pieced up chicken into the pot for a while)
6 oz noodles
chicken from boiled chicken
3/4 cup diced potatoes
3/4 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
14.5 oz can cream of chicken soup

bring liquid to a boil. Add noodles and bring to a boil again. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. remove 2 cups of broth and mix with cream of chicken soup. add to noodles. add remaining ingredients. simmer or bake until vegetables are tender.

this was a soup someone brought us while we were getting meals from the church after the baby came. this was my favorite. it is kinda like a soup, but pretty thick. it is yummy!!

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

granola cookie bars

Here's the recipe for the cookies that nurse made for us while we were in the hospital that darin ate all of them.

Granola Cookie Bars


1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. water
4 c. oatmeal
3 c. flour (I think I used half whole wheat and increased the water to 1 Tbsp.)
2 tsp. salt
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. coconut
1 c. raisins

Cream butter, sugars, eggs, water and vanilla. Add flour, salt and oatmeal. Stir in remaining ingredients. Dough is very stiff. Press into greased 15x10x1" baking pan. Bake at 350 for 22-27 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool and cut into bars.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

chunky tomato potato soup

this is a10/10!! i ate it for lunch at work every day last week!

2 tbsp butter
2 onions chopped
4 cups cubed potatoes
1 1/2 c chopped celery
1 1/2 c chopped carrots
2 garlic cloves pressed
1 tbspn italian seasoning
2 cups milk
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatos
1 1/4 c chicken broth
1 small can tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste


melt butter, cook onions until tender
mix in potatoes, celery, carrots and garlic
season with italian seasoning
pour in milk slowly and bring to a boil
mix in tomatos , broth, and tomatoe paste
return to boil, reduced heat and simmer until potatoes are tender
add salt and peper

Monday, January 22, 2007

pilsner pics and red lobster biscuits











red lobster biscuits

mix together:
2 c bisquick
2/3 c milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

melt 1/4 c butter, add 1/4 tsp garlic powder; beat into batter for 30 seconds

topping:
1 tbspn butter melted, 1 tbsp parmesian cheese, 1/4 tsp parsley

drop batter onto ungreased cookie sheet, spoon topping onto tops of unbaked dough balls

bake 8-10 minutes at 450

Saturday, January 20, 2007

crockpot chicken and blackbeans and cream cheese

This looks good. I haven't tried it yet, but will.


Crockpot Chicken and Blackbeans and Cream Cheese
Created by admin, January 18, 2007
Description
Nothing beats a meal you can throw together and come back later and enjoy.

Ingredients

4-5 boneless chicken breasts
1 can black bean
1 can corn
1 jar salsa , any kind
1 package cream cheese
Methods/steps
Take 4-5 frozen, yes, frozen, boneless chicken breasts put into crockpot. Add 1 can of black beans, drained, 1 jar of salsa, 1 can of corn drained. Keep in crockpot on high for about 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked.
Add 1 package of cream cheese (just throw it on top!) and let sit for about 1/2 hour. All done and enjoy!

Saturday, January 13, 2007

some olive garden recipes that look tasty

I'm going to try to make this one tomorrow. looks good

Olive Garden Stuffed Chicken Marsala
Ingredients:

---CHEESE STUFFING---
1/2 cup smoked provolone or gouda cheese
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato flakes, if in oil, drain first
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper

---CHICKEN---
2 pounds Skinless boneless chicken breasts
4 ounces cooking oil
2 cups flour
salt and pepper, to taste

---SAUCE---
1 small onion, chopped
6 cups button mushrooms, thinly sliced
24 ounces marsala wine
8 ounces heavy cream

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. STUFFING: Combine all cheese stuffing ingredients in a bowl.

3. CHICKEN: Butterfly thickest section to create two lobes - pound until 1/4"-1/2" thick. Place pounded chicken breasts on a plate and place desired amount of stuffing on one half of chicken breast. Gently press stuffing down and fold over other side of chicken breast.

4. Preheat a large saute pan on stove top. add 4 oz oil, heat oil until shimmering. Place approximately 2 cups flour in a pan and season it to taste with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess flour. Place stuffed chicken breasts in saute pan with the preheated oil. Cook each side until golden. When chicken is seared on both sides remove them from saute pan and place them in a baking pan and into the oven for 10-20 minutes. Bake until juices run clear and stuffing and center reach a temperature of at least 165 degrees.

5. SAUCE: Add the onions to the saute pan. stir with spatula. After 2 minutes add the mushrooms, saute mixture until onions are translucent. Deglaze saute pan with the marsala wine - make sure to incorporate particles from bottom of pan. Bring wine to a simmer and add heavy cream. Simmer sauce on low heat until reduced by half.

6. Place cooked chicken breast on a plate and top with onions, mushrooms and sauce. Serve with your favorite garlic mashed potato recipe.



I also want to make this recipe, but will have to wait a little bit maybe till Darin is not "off sugar" he's trying to cut weight by cutting out sugar. good idea!!


Olive Garden Black Tie Mousse Cake
Ingredients:

---Bottom Layer---
1 box Chocolate cake mix, devil's food

---Second Layer---
1 teaspoon Unflavored gelatin
1 tablespoon cold water
2 tablespoons boiling water
4 ounces chocolate chips
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

---Third Layer---
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour, sifted
1 teaspoon Unflavored gelatin
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

---Fourth Layer---
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
18 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions:
1. Bottom Layer: Bake according to directions on box, using round pans and cool. Once cooled, (cut cake into layers if you choose and use one layer) make a collar using wax paper. Make the collar at least four inches taller than cake.
2. Second Layer: Melt chocolate and cream cheese together. Let cool. Soften gelatin with cold water for 1 minute, then add boiling water, stir until dissolved and clear. Let this cool while you start whipping the heavy cream and sugar. As cream starts to thicken, add gelatin. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Add 1/4 of the cream to the chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly. Then fold this into the remaining cream. Once you have completed spread onto cake and refrigerate.

3. Third Layer: Beat egg yolks until pale. Add sugar, flour and gelatin, then beat until mixed. Bring cream and vanilla extract to a boil. Add a small amount of cream to egg mixture while stirring. Gradually add until all of the cream has been added and then pour entire mixture through a strainer into the pan. Continue to cook until custard begins to thicken. Cool slightly pour on top of chocolate mousse and freeze while getting the icing ready.

4. Fourth Layer: Bring butter and cream to a boil, pour over chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let cool (slightly warmer than room temp) until it starts to thicken. Remove cake from freezer and remove the collar. Pour some of the ganache (what you feel comfortable working with) and using a spatula spread it evenly across the top and sides of cake. While this is still wet put chocolate chips onto the side of the cake. And refrigerate. Continue to let the remaining ganache cool and firm up, place into a cake decorating bag with star tip and place a border on the cake if you like.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Asian Turkey Pot Stickers

1/2 c chopped scallions
2 tbspn grated fresh ginger root
1 lb ground turkey
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tsp tasted sesame oil
24 square wonton wrappers
1 c chicken broth

finely chop scallions and ginger
in large bowl combine turkey, scallions, ginger, worcestershire sauce and sesame oil
lay dumpling skins on counter
place spoonful of turkey mixture into the middle of each skin
moisten the edges of the skins and fold together to make a triangle
heat oil in large skillet
place full wraps in skillet until browned on both sides
add some chicken broth and cover the pan to steam the dumplings all the way through
steam until all liquid is absorbed


*it makes quite a few dumplings. i used the pampered chef family skillet and had to fill it 3 times. each time i added about 1/3 c of the chicken broth to steam the dumplings and then removed them to a plate. i placed waxed paper between the layers b/c the steamed/fried wonton wrappers can stick to each other very easily. if you just want them c rispy try not adding the chicken broth, although i like the chewy texture it makes.

dipping sauce:

1/4 soy sauce
3 tbspn rice vinegar or lemon juice (we used apply cider vinegar b/c that's what we had)
2 tsp sesame oil


dip the dumplings in the sauce and enjoy! i made white rice with the left over chopped scallions in it and broccoli. it suggests making a grated carot salad by grating 1 bag carrots, adding golden or dark raisens and a vinaigrette dressing.

Monday, January 08, 2007

menu for two weeks

thanks for posting your menu! as soon as i saw that the mexican casserole invovled doritos i knew it was darin's recipe! the stew sounds really good! i'll have to try it, maybe start de-sensitizing eric's allergies to beef...muhahaha. here's my menu:

Monday:Asian Pot Stickers (dumplings) really good- a wrapped meal, maybe darin would like this- it is ground turkey with green onions and ginger wrapped in wonton wrappers and fried/steamed with chicken broth. dip in a soy sauce/sesame seed oil sauce. let me know if you would like more detail. eric and i did the meal together and got the whole thing done with dishes washed in one hour so it doesn't take as long as some wrapped meals...but tastes very asian. i don't know how much you guys like asian food.

tuesday: spanish noodles (bob's recipe from back in the day)
wednesday:kimble's house
Thursday: left over dumplings
friday: left over frozen chicken dinner or frozen pizza
Saturday: family burrito
Sunday: Grilled Chicken with lime sauce (coat chicken breasts with egg, dip in bread crumbs. heat olive oil in large skillet, place chicken into skillet and fry till golden. remove from skilet. squeeze juice of 2 limes into skillet. cook over low heat until it boils. add 5 tbspn butter, stir till melted. season with chives and dill. spoon sauce over chicken and serve. this recipe is pretty good, maybe an 8/10 so not outstanding but it is nice to switch it up a bit every once in a while)

Monday: sloppy joes
tuesday: California Sherry chicken
Wed: Kimble's
Thrusday: left over sloppy joes
Friday: left over California Sherry chicken
Saturday: i don't know- we are going to church with tyler and alyssa and having dinner with thema nd i've done the dinner the past 3 weeks so i'm hoping she'll do acrock pot meal..
Sunday: Mexian soup- you gave me this recipe last year and i've never made it. it has velveeta in it and rotel. i'm making corn bread with it
Monday: chili and corn bread

i'm making salads for lunch and taking them to work. they are really yummy and have really hit the spot. i just can't eat sandwiches anymore! i start with lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, add croutons, dried cranberries, avacado, a tart granny smith apple, and some feta or blue cheese. i make my own dressing with olive oil, balsamic vinger, oregano, and cavenders. yum! i've been eating snacks of raw natural almonds, organic yogurt(again, better than regular), a kiwi or banana or pear (b/c that produce is cheap right now at the store). that usually get me trhough a 12 hour shift. i thought you might be inspired by any of those things for a good snack. also dried blueberries, peaches or apricots are good too.

menu for the week

Monday night- Mexican casserole (one of darin's recipes)

line a 9x12 pyrex dish with Doritos (taco flavor)
layer of diced chicken
layer of chopped green chiles
layer of chopped onions
cover with 1 can cream of chicken and 1 can cream of mushroom
top with grated cheese
layer again and bake at 325 for 45 minutes or until bubbly


Tuesday night- Spaghetti and meatballs and french bread

Wednesday night- chimichangas with beans, cheese, and taco meat

Thursday night- stew
meat, carrots, celery, potatoes, onions quartered.
put them in the crock pot in the morning on low and add 1 packet of powdered italian dressing, one packet of powdered ranch dressing, and one packet of brown gravy. let it cook all day. delicious!

Friday night- Tex Mex Chicken Melt

1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
4 oz grated cheddar cheese
1 chicken breast boiled and then chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 T taco seasoning
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
2 T parsley, snipped ( i use dried)


use your left over french bread from spaghetti and slice them into 1/4 inch slices
arrange slices on a rectangle stone (or cookie sheet)
In a bowl combine chicken, onion, bell pepper, 1/2 cup of the cheese, mayo, taco seasoning, and garlic. mix well
using a medium scoop, divide filling evenly among bread slices. slice the tomatoes. place one tomato slice over filling on each bread slice. sprinkle parsley on the tomatoes and then sprinkle the tops with left over cheese. bake 15 min at 375 or until golden brown.
this would also work as an appetizer for a party.


Sunday dinner- your artichoke chicken recipe.

Sunday, January 07, 2007

A good band for Darin...

hey, darin totally needs to check out this band, "clay your hands and say yeah". if he likes them i can bring a CD of them when i come in february. another good, fun band he should look into is Devotchka- i have them too if he wants a CD.

Monday, January 01, 2007

menu for the week

hamburgers tonight Jan 1
Sitr Fry tomorrow Tues ( don't know the recipe yet)
ham and bean soup Wed (don't know this recipe yet either)
chicken soup (thurs)
leftovers, probably for Friday.
I'll let you know if I find some great recipes

The pumpkin coffee cake was good by the way. I made it recently. It tastes a lot like Bob's but with a nice tasty layer of pumpkin in there too. I made a great recipe for pancakes this morning with orange juice and blueberries in it. let me know if you want it; I know you think blueberries are expensive, so let me know.