Domestic Ditto Divas

Orzo with Peas

2011-07-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

I made this recipe this week because I needed a quick side dish to go with some tilapia. It was quick and really tasty!

1.5 c. dry orzo

1 c. frozen peas

1 small onion, choppped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp butter

1/4 c. chicken stock

(or water with bouillon)

1 c. parmesan

black pepper

Cook Orzo according to package directions, make sure to salt the water after it begins to boil. Drain. In another pan, melt butter and add onion and garlic. Cook until soft (a few minutes) Add peas, cook until peas are soft, Add chicken stock, and orzo. Stir. Remove from heat and add Parmesan and plenty of black pepper. (don't forget the pepper, I thought it made a big difference in the dish)

Mississipi mud pie

2011-05-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

I made this recipe for a family gathering last week, and oh my....fabulous! I got it from this great cookbook from the library called "Baked Explorations". This is cookbook I may consider buying, it's great. This is not a throw together dessert, it takes some planning ahead and is best made over the course of two days. in fact, I kept telling my husband while making it. "I hope this is worth it" and it was. It fed our crowd of 8 with plenty of leftover. It's rich and chocolaty and divine! It's full of butter, chocolate, whole milk and eggs..so if you are on a diet this is not for you! Don't be intimidated by the recipe, it's easy if you make it in steps!

To begin, preheat oven to 300. line 9" springform pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray, mix:
Chocolate cookie crust:
35-40 oreos (or any chocolate sandwich cookies) finely crushed
5 tbsp butter, melted

Mix cookie crumbs and butter together and press into the bottom and up the sides of springform pan, leaving about 1/4" between top of the crust and the top of the pan. Place in freezer for about 10 min. Bake the crust in the oven until dry to the touch about 10 min. while cooling make the flourless chocolate cake. Increase oven temp to 350

Flourless Chocolate cake:

4 tbsp unsalted butter
6 oz good quality dark chocolate 60-70% cocao)(i just used Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate.)
2 tbsp cocoa powder (used in place of espresso powder, which you could use as well)
1/4 c.whole milk (used in place of strong coffee at room temp.)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp. vanilla
6 large eggs separated, at room temperature
1 c. sugar
Using a double boiler or in microwave, melt the butter and chocolate together (in microwave check every 30 seconds). In a small bowl whisk together cocoa powder, milk, coffee, salt and vanilla. set aside.

In a mixer beat the egg yolks with 1/2 c. sugar until the mixture is light and has almost doubled in volume. Add the chocolate mixture and beat until just combined. Add the cocoa powder mixtures and mix on low until combined. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy, gradually increase the speed to high and add remaining 1/2 c. sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into chocolate batter (about 1c. at a time) Do not rush this process, work gently and do not overmix! Pour the batter onto cookie crust and and bake for 38-42 minutes (make sure you have increased oven temp to 350 as mentioned above) until cake is set but still jiggles slightly. It might not look completely cooked, this normal. let cool. As the cake cools it will deflate in the center and look sunken. Don't worry this is normal! Wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

Chocolate Pudding
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. dark unsweetened cocoa powder (I used ghiradelli sweetened cocoa and used less sugar)
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
4 large egg yolks
2 1/2 c. whole milk
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla
3 oz. dark chocolate

In a medium saucepan whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt. Add the egg yolks and whisk until combined. The mixture will look like thick paste. Slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Boil for 30 seconds, remove from heat and transfer to mixing bowl, add butter, vanilla and chocolate. Whisk until combined. Continue to stir for a few more minutes to cool the mixture slightly. Press a piece of plastic wrap over surface of pudding to prevent skin from forming and chill. After pudding is chilled enough, layer it on top of flourless cake. Top with whipped cream. (real stuff is the best...) refrigerate until ready to serve

Cinnamon sugar muffins

2011-03-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

I haven't made these muffins in ages, but I had a hankering for some, so I whipped some up. I had forgotten how yummy these are! I've heard these called several different names, french muffins, doughnut muffins...but growing up they were simply, cinnamon sugar muffins (cause that's what they are!)

3 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 tbs + 1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2/ tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmet
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1 c. milk
1/3 c. heavy cream (you could substitute milk for this)

For topping:
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 c. sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Use muffins cups or not...however you like to serve your muffins. :) Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in eggs until mixed thoroughly. In another bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmet. In another bowl Combine the vanilla, milk and cream. (The recipe has you mix in a little of the flour mixture, a little of the milk mixture...and keep alternating. To be honest I cream the butter and sugars/eggs and then mix in the rest) Fill muffin tins 2/3 full and bake for 23 minutes. To finish, dip muffin in melted butter, then dip in cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Cinnamon roasted almonds

2011-02-26T21:05:00.000-08:00

I've been having some "tummy" trouble lately and in an effort to figure out the cause, I decided to cut out gluten products for a while. (luckily not the issue) During that time I was searching for a snack that would fill me up, but was gluten free. These almonds are now my new addiction. I love them and they are so easy. I found this recipe on "for the love of cooking."

1 lb unsalted almonds

1 egg white

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/3 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

preheat oven to 275. Line baking sheet with a silpat mat. Whisk the egg white and vaniklla until nice and foamy. Add the almonds and toss. In a separate bowl mix together sugars, cinnamon and salt. Pour sugar mixture onto the almonds and toss to coat evenly. Pour onto the baking sheet, spread evenly and place in oven. Roast for 20 minutes, then "stir" or mix the almonds and roast for another 20 minutes. Let them cool and enjoy!

Lindt truffle chocolate cupcakes

2011-02-26T20:49:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe on "the sister's cafe" blog, one of my favorite cooking blogs. She raved about these cupcakes and she was right, they are amazing. So amazing that I finally started asking my children TO eat them so that I wouldn't. Imagine "Claire, will you please eat a cupcake for mommy?" I'm sure they thought I was crazy! I will not be making these again unless we have company over...it's just too dangerous. I did make some changes that I will note, but either way i'm sure they are amazing.

1 box devils food cake (I just used milk chocolate)

1 box instant vanilla pudding (small box..I didn't have vanilla, so used chocolate)

4 eggs

1/2 c. oil

1/2c. water

1 c. sour cream

milk chocolate lindor truffles by Lindt (appx. 24)

Unwrap truffles and set aside. In bowl add all other ingredients and mix well. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake at 350. After 5 minutes, lightly press a lindt truffle into each partially baked cupcake. let the cupcakes bake an additional 13 minutes (total of 18 minutes) Cool completely, then frost. (I only had 8 truffles left in the cupboard, so the other cupcakes had chocolate chips mixed in, my picture above is a chocolate chip cupcake)

Cream cheese Frosting

1/2 c. butter

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 c. powdered sugar

Crab fondue-so yummy!

2011-02-03T10:53:00.000-08:00

I'm not a huge seafood fan, but I had this fondue at a bookclub years ago and it was so good I could have eaten the whole pot myself.. I got the recipe from my friend Trish and made it again for a family get-together. It was as good as I remembered! My favorite thing to eat it with is chunks of bread. Just make sure you don't use wimpy, fall apart bread. You'll need some crusty bread (french bread would work just fine). It is not low calorie, which is why I decided NOT to scarf down the whole pot myself!

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4c. minced shallots

2 c. heavy cream

8 oz. brie, rind removed

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 lb lump crab meat (I used 8oz because that's all I had, it was still great)

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

in a saucepan, Cook shallots in butter until softened. Add cream, brie, salt and pepper. When brie is melted add in crab meat and parsley, cook for a few minutes and then transfer to fondue pot. I was worried when the fondue seemed a bit thin when I poured it into the fondue pot, but it thickened up after about 30 minutes...so maybe plan ahead so you have a few extra minutes to let it thicken?

Fettucine with italian sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes, and basil

2010-12-12T21:14:00.000-08:00

Once again I found this recipe on www.fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com I loved this pasta dish and I thought it was even better the next day. Sorry I don't have a picture. Just trust me, it's yummy!

5 links johnsonville sweet basil italian sausage, removed from casing (I just used a non-name brand italian sausage)

8 oz. buttom mushrooms, quartered

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1 c. grape tomatoes

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

11 oz. fettucine (I used more)

2 c. baby spinach

1 c. fresh mozzarella, chopped into small cubes

3 Tbsp pine nuts (pine nuts are crazy expensive right now, so you could omit these)

handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped

Remove sausage from casing and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add onion and mushrooms. Continue to cook until the mushrooms are golden and onions are tender (and meat is cooked through). Add the minced garlic, grape tomatoes, oregano and crushed fennel. Stirring constantly. Add the chicken broth. Break up most of the tomatoes by piercing them with a spatula, then simmer sauce for 7-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the pasta, per instructions, while the sauce is simmering. Drain the pasta, then place into the sauce along with the spinach, cheese, pine nuts and basil. Toss to coat evenly. Enjoy!

Eggnog Quick Bread

2010-12-12T21:08:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe on Allrecipes. I was a little hesitant to try it, I'm not sure why. I love eggnog, I just wasn't sure about eggnog in my bread. But it was great, the whole family loved it.

2 eggs, beaten

1 c. eggnog
2 tsp. rum flavored extract
1 c. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 1/4 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Prehead oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of 9x5" loaf pan or three mini loaf pans. Blend together the eggs, eggnog, rum extract, sugar, vanilla, and butter. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Add the eggnog mixture and stir just enough to moisten. Pour into prepared pan. Bake bread for 40-60 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean) I usually cook for about 30 min, then put foil over the top to prevent overbrowning and cook the rest of the way. Cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!

Sausage, Potato and Cheese Waffles

2010-10-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from one of the magazines I subscribe to--I tore it out, so I don't know which one. These are like an entire breakfast cooked up into one waffle, and they are really tasty. The best part is that you can make the waffles ahead of time, freeze them up to 3 weeks, and then just pull them out and pop them in the toaster like an Eggo waffle when you need a quick and filling breakfast.

About 4 links breakfast sausage, casings discarded
1 baking potato, grated and excess water squeezed out (or just use 1 C. or so of frozen hash browns)
4 T. butter
1 3/4 C. flour
1 T. baking powder
1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. pepper (I put a little less in mine and it was plenty pepper-y)
2 C. milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten

In a medium skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 5 minutes. Add the potato and butter, lower the heat and simmer until the butter is melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir in the milk and eggs until smooth. Stir in the sausage-potato mixture.

Cook in waffle maker.

Beef and Bean chimi's

2010-09-30T14:16:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from one of my favorite cooking blogs, "for the love of cooking." I made it last night and it was a huge hit. I did cook mine a little differently, but I think either way they would be great.

1 lb. lean ground beef

1//2. sweet onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. paprika

1tsp. chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp oregano

salt/pepper

1 can of chili beans (I did not drain)

Cook ground beef and onion until thoroughly cooked, add garlic and spices, and cook 4-5 more minutes. Add the can of chili beans and let simmer for a few minutes.

Layer tortilla with beef mixture and cheese. Place seam side down in a the hot skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. (I did it a little differently, I sprayed a 9x13 with cooking spray. I also lightly sprayed the top of the tortillas and broiled them on low for a few minutes. Watch closely, you don't want to burn them. You just want a nice crispy outside shell. I served these with sour cream and salsa. So good!

SoNo brownies

2010-09-30T14:09:00.000-07:00

I recently checked out "The SoNo baking company" cookbook from the library. It's an amazing cookbook! I decided to try out their brownies. I have to admit that brownies are one of the few things that I prefer out of the box...but these brownies beat out the boxed mix anyday.

1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
pinch of soda
1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 large eggs, room temp
1 Tbsp pure vanilla
1 c. semi-sweet choc. chips

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 8" dish with cooking spray. (or if you're like me, you double the recipe and spray a 9x13"!) Whish flour with cocoa, salt, baking powder and soda. Set aside. In saucepan, melt butter. Remove from heat. Add sugar and corn syrup and whisk. Whisk in eggs one at a time, add vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips. Bake for 30min. Delish!

Beach Street Lemon Chicken Linguine

2010-05-04T20:33:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on some random blog I stalk, so I decided to make it tonight. It is bona fide DELISH--even the kids liked it.

Ingredients:
1 lb. linguine
2 tablespoons olive oil
Zest from one lemon
Juice from one lemon
3 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Marinade:
½ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed (smashed with the back of a large knife or saucepan)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (cut this down to 1 1/2 teaspoons if you want less heat but don't omit entirely or you will lose great flavor)
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 chicken breasts, sliced

Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk lightly before pouring into a ziploc plastic bag. Pat chicken dry and toss in marinade to coat. Refrigerate 3-12 hours.

When ready to cook, preheat skillet over medium heat and pour contents of plastic bag (both marinade and chicken) into the skillet. Saute over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked.

Combine juice of one lemon, lemon zest, olive oil, green onions and fresh parsley together in a small bowl. Set aside.

While the chicken is sauteing, cook linguine in boiling salted water until done; drain and return to warm pot. Pour lemon juice/olive oil/green onion mixture over pasta and mix lightly. When chicken is finished cooking, add hot pasta mixture to the skillet with the chicken and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss in parmesan cheese. Serve warm.

Bunny Bread

2010-04-16T15:33:00.001-07:00

I adapted my recipe from the Taste of Home magazine.

Ingredients

2 loaves (1 pound each) frozen bread dough, thawed (I made homemade bread dough and then just used these instructions to form the bunny.)
2 raisins
2 sliced almonds
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Cut a fourth off of one loaf of dough; shape into a pear to form head. For body, flatten remaining portion into a 7-in. x 6-in. oval; place on a greased baking sheet. Place head above body. Make narrow cuts, about 3/4 in. deep, on each side of head for whiskers.
Cut second loaf into four equal portions. For ears, shape two portions into 16-in. ropes; fold ropes in half. Arrange ears with open ends touching head. Cut a third portion of dough in half; shape each into a 3-1/2-in. oval for back paws. Cut two 1-in. slits on top edge for toes. Position on each side of body.
Divide the fourth portion of dough into three pieces. Shape two pieces into 2-1/2-in. balls for front paws; shape the remaining piece into two 1-in. balls for cheeks and one 1/2-in. ball for nose. Place paws on each side of body; cut two 1-in. slits for toes. Place cheeks and nose on face. Add raisins for eyes and almonds for teeth.
Brush dough with egg. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Yield: 1 loaf.

2010-04-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

Once you taste this salad, it will be a favorite! It's so easy and so yummy. I got this recipe from my sister and seriously, how can you go wrong with strawberries and chocolate?? You could probably save time and use a store-bought poppyseed dressing, I haven't tried it...but you could? My motto with this salad is "don't mess with a good thing"..

1 bag baby spinach
1 pint strawberries, sliced
heath bits*

Dressing:
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. vinegar
2/3 c. sugar
2 tbsp poppy seeds

Mix dressing ingredients together and toss with spinach, strawberries and heath bits.
Not every store has heath bits, so if you can't find them just crush up a skor bar or a heath bar.

Lemon white chocolate chip cookies

2010-02-09T13:42:00.000-08:00

I was looking through my cookbook last night, trying to come up with a dessert for our Valentine's Day dinner. I came across this cookie recipe, I did post this on my blog a few years ago, but here it is again. It's one of my favorites:

1 c. margarine, or butter
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/2c. granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. lemon extract
2 1/4c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. lemon zest (I like them really lemony,
so I usually add more)
1/2 tsp salt
1 pkg. white chocolate chips

You know the routine, Mix wet ingredients in a bowl, and dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then combine. Or if you are like me toss it all in one bowl and stir together. Bake 8-10 minutes in 350 degree oven. Yummy!

Chicken and Roasted Pepper Tostadas

2010-02-09T13:33:00.001-08:00

This recipe again comes from one of my favorite blogs
www.fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com
I made this recipe last week and it was delicious. It was actually the first time that I had roasted peppers and i'm not sure why I waited so long, they were yummy! The sour cream sauce is a must!

Chicken and Dressing:
1-2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and flattened
1-2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and flattened
1 pasilla pepper, cored, seeded and flattened
2 c. leftover roasted chicken meat, shredded
1/4 sweet yellow onion chopped finely
1-2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1 clove of garlic, minced
juice of 1 lime
salt/pepper

Position oven rack close to broiler and heat the broiler. Cover a baking sheet with tin foil. Put the cored, seeded and flattened peppers skin side up on a baking sheet: broil until blackened. Transfer to a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool 10 minutes. Once peppers are cool enough to handle, carefully remove skin (It should peep right off) Chop peppers into small pieces. Reduce oven temp. to 400. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, cumin, garlic, lime, salt and pepper. Mix and set aside. (In the regular recipe she just combines the meat/peppers and onion in a bowl) I put chicken, onions and peppers in a frying pan and cooked until onions were soft and everything was warm. Remove from heat and toss with dressing. The recipe is for tostadas, but I found it easier to eat like a taco. Use costco's tortillas for best results :) Top with sour cream sauce.

Sour cream sauce:
1 c. sour cream
1 tbsp sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
juice of one lime
1 clove garlic, minced
salt/pepper
Combine all together in a bowl...

Simple Crusty Bread

2010-02-03T13:59:00.000-08:00

This is my first Domestic Diva post, but this recipe is fabulous--so fast, easy and non-fussy. The friend who sent it to me said it would change my life...and it has! I've copied the recipe into the blog pretty much as she sent it to me (hence all the random commentary).

Simple Crusty Bread

3 c. warm water
1 1/2 T yeast
1 1/2 T kosher salt or 1 T iodized
6 1/2 c. flour or 6 cup whole wheat

Mix yeast, salt and water in large bowl. (Like popcorn size bowl.) Stir in flour, mixing until no dry patches remain. Dough will be very loose and sticky. Cover and let rise 2-5 hours.

Dust a pan or cookie sheet with cornmeal, maybe 1/3 cup. Sprinkle dough with flour and pull off grapefruit size pieces of dough. Turn into a ball using additional flour on your hands as needed to shape 4-6 loaves. (Remember this dough is ultra sticky so I justify the oddly shaped loaves as being rustic and artisan.) Let rest on pan for 40 minutes.

Heat oven to 450 degrees and place an empty pan such as an old muffin tin or bread pan on the bottom rack while heating. Dust loaves with flour and slash tops with a knife three times or if you are up to it in beautiful ornate patterns. Pour one cup of water in empty pan in oven and place loaves in oven. Quickly close oven door to prevent escaping steam. Bake for 30 minutes. (I know, seems like a long time at that high of heat but don't scrimp on time or you'll loose all the yummy crusty goodness! And don't peek by opening the oven door either. Tempting, but you'll loose the steam. Must. Keep. Steam.)

You can also keep the dough covered in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Let rest on cornmeal for an extra hour before baking.

Braided Hot Sandwiches

2010-01-27T14:36:00.001-08:00

I should definitely come up with a more creative name for this most delicious meal. Several years ago a woman from church shared a variation of this recipe with me and it has been a family favorite ever since. Basically it is a hot meat and cheese sandwich with anything extra you decide to throw in.

This past week I whipped up six of these (we were sharing four with another family) in not much time at all.

Braided Hot Sandwich

First:

Make your bread dough (a real simple recipe is just perfect).

2 cups hot water
1 Tab. yeast
2. Tab. sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 cups flour
optional: 2 Tab. spices (I used this yummy mix from TJ Max called Parmesan Garlic Bread Dipping Blend)

Let rise about an hour (or stick it in your warmed oven if you are short in time until the dough rises to double).

Then:

Divide dough up. The dough recipe above will make three Hot Sandwiches.
Roll the dough out so it is a nice rectangle (maybe like 10" X 16")
Next use your pizza cutter or knife and make 1 1/2" slices all down the side of the dough (see below)
Then put all your fillings in the inside. This is where you can great creative.
Here are some ideas that I have tried:

--mustard, ham, cheese
--pesto (mixed with ranch), turkey, cheese
--marinara, ham, peperoni, cheese
--meat, cheese
Then you braid the dough. First you fold down the top of the rectangle a bit and then just start "braiding" the dough. Really it is a fake braid because you are just crisscrossing your dough strips.Gently lift of the braided sandwich and lay it on your greased and cornmeal dusted pan. Don't forget this next step...take one egg YOKE blended with 1 T. of water and brush the tops of all the sandwiches. One egg yoke was enough for all six of my sandwiches.
Let rise for a bit (maybe a 1/2 hour or stick in the fridge if you are not wanting to cook them for a couple of hours). Then Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown (probably 15-20 minutes).

They are delicious and look very pretty. If you are a veggie lover you could throw in some sliced olives, red peppers, artichoke hearts, or any other nasty veggie you can think of (just kidding...just I really am just a meat and cheese girl).

Serve with homemade french fries or chips and a tasty salad. Super yummy!

2010-01-14T15:26:00.000-08:00

GOOOOOOD Granola!!

(and good for you too I guess...)

Our Enrichment last night was on healthy living (blah blah blah) BUT, I did decide that maybe we should eat less fruit loops and more healthy cereals for breakfast, so I made granola- so yummy! I love it! and you really can't screw it up is the best part...any nuts, dried fruit, seeds, etc make it great! But here's a base recipe to get you started-

8 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups wheat germ
1 1/2 cups wheat bran or oat bran
1 cup sunflower seeds
3 cups varied nuts (almond slices, cashews, pecans, walnuts, peanuts)
1 cup coconut
MIX ALL TOGETHER IN A BIG BOWL

1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup honey
1 cup veg. oil
1 TBS cinnamon
1 TBS vanilla
BRING TO BOIL IN SAUCE PAN OVER LOW HEAT

Pour sugar mixture over oat mixture and stir until evenly coated. Dump granola onto 2 foil-lined cookie sheets and bake at 325 degrees for 20-30 minutes...(longer if you like it even crunchier) It won't be hard or crunchy when it first comes out of the oven, but as it cools it will be! When cooled, mix in 2-3 cups dried fruit (raisins, craisins, cut-up apricots, extra coconut, anything!)
Store in air tight container.

Bean and Bacon Soup

2010-01-13T14:25:00.000-08:00

I wish I was one of those cooks that "created" her own dishes. I'm not. Instead I peruse cooking blogs, magazines and cookbooks and I post my favorites. This one comes from one of my favorite cooking blogs. (www.fortheloveofcooking.blogspot.com) I made a few slight changes to it, but otherwise it's all hers. I decided to make this, because one of my favorite lunches in high school was a can of campbells Bean and Bacon soup with crushed ritz. This recipes brought me back to those days. It was delicious.

4 strips bacon (I used two and it was plenty)

2 large carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf (I used two)

3 cans white beans, drained

4 cups chicken broth

2 Tbsp fresh parsley ( I left this out)

In a pot fry the bacon until crisp, remove and drain on paper towels. Let cool and chop.

Over medium heat, saute carrots, onion and celery in bacon drippings. Saute aroudn 5-7 minutes then add garlic and stir for an additional 60 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.

Add two cans of beans, bay leaf and broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Let simmer 15-20 minutes or until celery and carrots are soft. Uncover and remove bay leaves. Using a potato masher (or my NEW immersion blender I got for Christmas!) partially mash bean mixture until it thickens slightly. Stir in last can of beans, parsley and bacon. Yum!

Secret ingredient

2010-01-11T22:16:00.000-08:00

I've learned from my superb cooking skills (actually I should say eating skills), that cream cheese is always the "secret ingredient" to a yummy meal. When Delina gave my mom this recipe for Butternut Squash Soup, I was excited to find that indeed, cream cheese was in the soup. SO! I decided to try it out!
I began my cooking career 3 days ago with a sandwich thing with mushroom gravy. I kinda wanted to impress my boyfriend- and I hope it worked! The butternut squash on the other hand, was just for me to eat. Have you ever tried to cut squash? Ok, it's NOT easy- I had like 4 different knives going and was yelling and the stupid things and there were squash pieces flying everywhere! Later I learned that I should have actually peeled it with a potato peeler first. Maybe they should make squash-peelers, THEN I would have known. All in all it turned out lovely! The only thing was my cream cheese had those little lumps goin on - and I thinkg that was b/c my cream cheese wasn't room temp. BUT of course I didn't know that it should have been, until AFTER I was done. ok seriously, when I use recipe, EVER LITTLE DETAIL needs to be addressed. Here's the recipe and a pict-
oops! just found another piece of squash on the ground...................
Butternut Squash Soup

6 tablespoons chopped onion
4 tablespoons butter
6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
3 cups water
4 cubes chicken bouillon
1/2 t. dried marjoram
1/4 t. ground black pepper
1/8 t. ground cayenne pepper
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese

In a large saucepan, saute onions in butter until tener. Add squash, water, bouillon, marjoram, black pepper. Bring to boil; cook 20 min, or until squash is tender. Puree cooked squash mixture in a blender of food processor in batches until smooth. Blend in cream cheese. Return to saucepan, and heat through. Do not allow to boil.
Cayenne pepper is optional, and the leftovers are great!

Creamy Chicken and wild rice Soup

2010-01-05T15:20:00.000-08:00

This is one of our favorite soups. It's not the healthiest soup, but definately a comfort food, and delicious! I found this on Allrecipes.

4 c. Chicken broth
2 c. water
2 cooked and diced chicken breasts
1 4.5 oz quick cooking long grain and wild
rice with seasoning packet.(like uncle ben's)
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. butter
2. cups heavy cream

In a large pot combine broth, water and chicken. Bring to a boil and stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. In a separate bowl melt butter, stir in contents of seasoning packet, stir until bubbly. Reduce heat and stir in flour to make a roux. Whisk in cream a little at a time, until smooth. Cook until thickened. Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Stir until combined. These are the directions from the website...I don't like to dirty too many bowls, so I make it all in one pot and it turns out great.

Pumpkin pudding & homemade gingersnaps

2009-11-24T11:15:00.000-08:00

My friend Jennifer introduced me to this Rachel Ray pumpkin pudding. The pudding has a mousse-like c0nsistency. I love to make homemade gingersnaps and dip them in the pudding. I would have this over pumpkin pie anyday. This is one of my top five desserts!

1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 5.1 oz pkg instant vanilla pudding
3 c. heavy cream

In a mixing bowl combine sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin, spices, pudding and a splash of water (about 1/4 c.) Mix everything together until smooth, about 2 minutes. In a separate bowl whip cream until stiff peaks form, gently fold into pudding mixture. Chill

Gingersnaps:I love gingersnaps...unfortunately my kids aren't big fans, so we make them once a year at Christmas. We love to dip half of the cookie in white chocolate, of course our other favorite way to eat these yummy cookies is to dip them in the pumpkin pudding. This recipe makes a lot!
2 c. margarine or butter
3c. sugar
3/4 c. molasses
3 eggs
cream: then add
6 c. flour
6 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ginger
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves

Mix well, roll into balls and roll in granulated white sugar . Bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes.

Kris' corn chowder

2009-11-09T11:47:00.000-08:00

This recipe came from my friend Kris, who is a fabulous cook. I am a huge soup fan and am always looking for new recipes. This is a perfect soup for those cold rainy Oregon days! (Or cold rainy days anywhere!)

6 slices bacon
1 onion
1 large green pepper
2-3 tbsp flour
3 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 c. dry white wine or sherry
3 c. corn
1 large potato, cubed or grated
1 c. heavy cream or half-n-half

Fry bacon, remove from pan then add onion and pepper to the bacon fat and saute. Transfer to a large stock pot and sprinkly with flour. Add wine, reduce by half. Add broth and let thicken. Add potato and corn, cook until potatoes are done. Add bacon back in...add cream. Stir and enjoy.

Chalupas-a family favorite!

2009-11-09T11:38:00.000-08:00

My family has been making this recipe for years, i'm not sure where it came from or why we call them chalupas, since they are more of a mexican casserole. But we love them. Whenever I ask Brent for meal suggestions, he always says Chalupas first. They are delicious

1 c. chopped onion

2 Tbsp melted butter

1 lb. ground beef

2 Tbsp flour

3 Tbsp chili powder

1 1/2 c. Tomato soup

1 1/2. c. light cream

salt

tortillas

1 1/2. c. Cheddar cheese

Saute the onion in butter until soft, add ground beef and cook until brown. Add flour, and chili powder and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 c. water, and soup. Simmer until thickened, add cream (I have also substituted milk and it turns out fine, but the cream gives it a yummy richness, of course :)...simmer a few more minutes. Consistency should not be runny. In a greased 9x13 layers tortillas, meat mixture and cheese, (like a lasagna) Bake at 325 until cheese is bubbly.

caramel marshmallow treats

2009-11-01T09:12:00.000-08:00

This came from a taste of home magazine!

5 cups rice cereal, roughly crushed

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 pkgs (14 oz) caramels

1 c. butter cubed

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 pkg (16oz) large marshmallows

Line two cookies sheets with waxed papers. Put rice cereal in bowl. In a double boiler melt butter, caramel and milk. Remove from heat and add cinnamon and vanilla. With a toothpick dip each marshmallow into caramel, coating entire piece. Press marshmallow bottoms into cereal.

Turkey Focaccia club

2009-10-29T09:12:00.000-07:00

This was a new recipe I tried, out of my latest taste of home magazine. It sounds like any other club sandwich except for the cranberry pecan mayonnaise...it was divine. Honestly, I don't even like cranberries, but I loved this mayo. I made these on homemade focaccia, which actually turned out pretty good...amazing!

Cranberry Pecan Mayonnaise:

1/2 c. mayonnaise

1/2 c. whole-berry cranberry sauce

2 Tbsp dijon

2 Tbsp. chopped pecans, roasted (I left these out, but would love

to try it with)

1 Tbsp honey

Sandwich

1 loaf focaccia

lettuce

1/2 lb sliced turkey

1/4 lb. sliced gouda (used cheddar)

tomatoes

6 bacon strips

In a small bowl, combine mayo, cranberry sauce, mustard, pecans and honey. Then I'm sure you can figure out the rest. Combine it all together into sandwich yumminess.

Emeril's Chicken Marsala

2009-10-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post this recipe after I made it a few weeks ago and have finally gotten around to it. I'm a huge chicken marsala fan and this is by far the best recipe that i've tried. I think the addition of the spices in the dish make it amazing.

1/2 c. flour

1 tbsp essence, recipe follows:

2 1/2 tbsp paprika

2 tbsp salt

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp cayenne

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried thyme

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

1 tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp butter

3 c. sliced mushrooms (cremini, oyster, shiitake)

3/4 c. marsala (found with vinegars/cooking wines)

1 c. chicken stock

salt/pepper

chopped chives for garnish

Directions: In a bowl combine the flour and essence, combine. Dredge chicken in flour mixture, remove excess flour. Heat the oil in a large skillet until very hot, add 1 tbsp butter. Cook chicken on both sides until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add 1 tbsp of remaining butter and add mushrooms. Saute. Add the marsala wine and bring to a boil, scraping bottom of pan to remove any browned bits. When the wine has been reduced by half, add chicken stock and cook until sauce is slightly thickened. Add chicken back to pan. I also added a little cream to my sauce. My only complaint was that I let it simmer a little too long and there wasn't quite enough "sauce" but honestly it was heavenly! My mouth is watering now just thinking about it. Serve over rice or pasta.

Pina Colada Muffins

2009-10-08T15:33:00.000-07:00

I'm submitting this recipe for Tavia because she is the one who introduced our family to this yumminess.

Pina Colada Muffins
Makes 12 large muffins or around 36 mini muffins

1 can (19 oz) crushed pineapple (drained)
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. butter
1 tsp. rum extract (I didn't use this--I put in vanilla extract instead)
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. coconut

Drain pineapple. Mix sour cream, sugar, egg, butter, and extract. Stir in dry ingredients into sour cream mixture. fold in coconut and drained pineapple.

(Optional: drizzle light frosting)

Bake at 375 degrees for around 15 minutes.

(Note: I make these in the little tiny muffin tins and then only bake them for about 9 minutes)

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

2009-10-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

I had this dish last night at a church function--so super yummy! She served it in a beautiful dish with sliced toasted bread. Such a yummy flavor and very simple!

Spaghetti alla Carbonara
(Gourmet Magazine)

1/2 lb bacon (or more, thick sliced)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
1 # spaghetti noodles, cooked
3 large eggs
3/4 Cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
1/3 Cup Pecorino Romano, finely grated
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper

Brown bacon in pan, then add onions and cook till medium brown (pan will get dark on bottom but don't worry). Add wine (or broth) to deglaze the pan, boil, reducing liquid in 1/2.

Cook spaghetti in salted water till al dente.

In large mixing bowl whisk together eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, salt and pepper. Add bacon mixture to this and whisk in.

Drain spaghetti and while hot add to egg/bacon mixture. Toss spagetti to coat (the hot pasta cooks the eggs slightly).

*I added some parsley for color, and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Another idea is to add red pepper flakes for some heat.

Triple Layer Peanut Butter Brownies

2009-10-06T09:59:00.001-07:00

Alex and I found the following recipe in my kraft foods magazine. He ended up winning a prize at the cub scout bake-off. Thought I would share the recipe:

Total Time: 2 hr 10 min

Makes: Makes 32 servings.

What You Need!

1 pkg. (19 to 21 oz.) brownie mix(13x9-inch pan size)

1 cup cold milk

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (Do not thaw.)

3 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate (we just used chocolate chips)

1/2 cup PLANTERS Dry Roasted Peanuts, coarsely chopped

Make It!

PREPARE and bake brownies in 13x9-inch pan as directed on package; cool. Meanwhile, beat milk and pudding mix with whisk 2 min. Add peanut butter and sugar; mix well. Refrigerate until brownies are completely cooled.

SPREAD pudding mixture over brownies.

MICROWAVE COOL WHIP and chocolate on HIGH 1 min., stirring every 30 sec. Spread over pudding; sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Eclair Bar

2009-10-06T09:56:00.000-07:00

I was first introduced to this yumminess from my sister Leah who I believe got the recipe from her mother-in-law. You will not be disappointed!!

Pastry:

1 1/2 sticks of butter

1 1/2C water

1 ½ cup flour

6 eggs beat slightly

Topping:

8oz cream cheese, softened

3T milk

2 pkg vanilla instant pudding (the smaller size)

3C milk

8oz cool whip

Directions:

Melt butter in water, bring to a boil. Remove, add flour, stir till it

forms a ball, add beaten eggs a little at a time. Stir until smooth.

Spray cookie sheet and spread dough evenly. Bake 400 for 25 minutes.

Cool.

Whip together cream cheese and milk (3T) till smooth. In a different

bowl, combine milk and pudding. Add to the cream cheese mixture and

blend thoroughly. Fold in cool whip.

Heat hot fudge chocolate topping (Mrs. Richards). Spread one jar of chocolate sauce on top.

Cheddar Chicken Pie

2009-10-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

Super tasty. Even three of my kids tried it and thought it was good. I called it scrambled egg pie. Birch could even eat it because it only has 3 eggs in the whole pie.

Cheddar Chicken Pie

Ready in an hour or less

3 cups (12 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

10 ounces frozen or fresh broccoli

1 1/2 cup cubed cooked chicken (or sausage or bacon or nothing)

2/3 cup chopped onion (or a little green onion or nothing)

1 1/3 cup milk

3 eggs

3/4 cup biscuit/baking mix (see below)

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

In a bowl, combine 2 cups cheese, broccoli, chicken, and onion (if using); spread into a greased 10 in. pie pan. In an small mixing bowl, beat the milk, eggs, biscuit mix, salt and pepper until smooth. Pour over broccoli mixture. DO NOT STIR.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until knife comes clean in the center of the pie. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese. Let stand 5 minutes and then serve.

****Since I did not have any biscuit mix I looked up online and found out how to make it. It was SUPER easy.

3/4 cup flour

2 T. powd. milk

1/8 tsp. baking powder

2 T. shortening

I used pre-cooked bacon bits from Costco instead of the chicken and it was very tasty and easy.

Chicken Tortellini Soup

2009-10-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

Time to pull the soup ladle out again. The kids actually saw their breath this morning as they walked to school. I actually am not a big soup eater so this means that the following recipe is really worth trying. The recipe was passed on to me by a friend but can't you claim a recipe after you have made it several times and altered it a bit?

Chicken Tortellini Soup

Saute: 1/4 c. onion and 1/2 c. celery in 2 T. water (I actually totally skipped this step)

Stir in: 2 c. milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth or 2 c. chicken broth
4 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cut up
1/4 tsp. basil
1/8 tsp. pepper
garlic salt to taste

Heat above and add one package of frozen tortellini (or ravioli noodles are good too) and cook according to the package.

Optional additions: 1 shredded carrot, or steamed broccoli, spinach, or steamed zucchini, or corn

White Bean Chilli

2009-10-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

There are two ways to make this--the quick way and the slower cheaper way. The quick way you would use canned beans and diced up chicken breasts. The cheaper way you would cook the beans yourself and use a whole boiled chicken that would then need to be de-boned. I just did the cheaper lengthier method but it was worth the time.

Here is the quick method recipe:

2 T. Olive Oil
1 med. chopped onion
1 minced garlic clove
3 chicken breasts
9 oz. corn
2 cans Great Northern Beans (Navy beans)
7 oz. can green chilies
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander (I didn't have any of this)
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken broth
3 T. lime juice

Directions: Saute first four ingredients and then add the rest of the stuff in and heat for about 20 minutes.

Toppings: sliced limes, corn chips, sour cream, cheese, salsa

The lengthier method:
Dump about 16 oz. of dried Navy Beans into cold water. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Turn off heat. Then let sit for one hour. Next drain the beans and add the chicken broth and seasonings to your beans and cook for about two hours. Meanwhile, cook your whole chicken and de-bone. Once the beans are done cooking add the cooked diced chicken and corn. Serve w/ toppings.

Oreo Truffles

2009-10-06T09:37:00.001-07:00

I'm not much of a dessert woman (eating or making) but I had something similar while in Philly and I just knew it was something that would be a huge hit.They really weren't that hard to make but were a bit time consuming. I altered the recipe and used Mint Oreo Cookies and added the crushed peppermint candy canes to the top.

Here's the recipe:

Some Sweet Love For Your Valentine

I am so excited to say I've found another jackpot winning recipe. I have been eying these on Bakerella's blog and finally got around to making them. She has done some amazing things with these if you haven't checked her site out yet, Yum!

These little gems are a must try! They look like a truffle but taste like a little Oreo Cheesecake. You can't go wrong with cookies, cream cheese and white chocolate! Your Valentine will be thrilled to take a bite out of these treats.

It's hard to believe something so incredibly easy to make tastes so yummy. I know I'll be making these often!

I tried the same recipe, but with Nutter Butter Cookies. Both are great, I can't decide which ones I like better. I'm going to try Chips Ahoy next time and maybe the mint Oreos.

Nutter Butter Cookie Truffles

1 Bag Nutter Butter Cookies
8 oz softened cream cheese
1 package Chocolate Bark (dipping chocolate in blocks)
1 square of the Almond Bark for drizzling (white chocolate blocks for dipping)

1. Mix ground oreos and cream cheese until well combined. Roll into 1 inch balls and place onto baking sheet or tray. Refrigerate overnight or until very firm.
2. Melt white chocolate according to package directions. Using 2 little spoons, dip balls into chocolate and place onto parchment paper to harden. Once dry, melt square of almond bark and spoon into the corner of a ziplock baggie. Snip the corner of the baggie and drizzle chocolate back and forth over the truffles. Let dry.
3. I enjoyed mine chilled in the refrigerator, but may be room temperature as well.

Oreo Cookie Truffles

1 bag Oreo Cookies, ground in blender or food processor (filling and all)
8 oz softened cream cheese
1 package Almond Bark (white chocolate candy coating)
1 square of the Chocolate Bark for drizzling

1. Mix ground oreos and cream cheese until well combined. Roll into 1 inch balls and place onto baking sheet or tray. Refrigerate overnight or until very firm.
2. Melt white chocolate according to package directions. Using 2 little spoons, dip balls into chocolate and place onto parchment paper to harden. Once dry, melt chocolate bark and spoon into the corner of a ziplock baggie. Snip a small corner and drizzle back and forth over the truffles. Let dry.
3. I enjoyed mine chilled in the refrigerator, but may be room temperature as well! Enjoy! Thanks for the great recipe Bakerella!

About 30 truffles each recipe

Banana Crumb Muffins

2009-10-06T09:36:00.001-07:00

Banana Crumb Muffins

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup oil

TOPPING

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder , cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and oil. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

TACO BURGERS

2009-10-06T09:34:00.001-07:00

TACO BURGERS

1 lb. ground beef (I used turkey burger)

1 pkt. (1-1/4 oz.) Taco Seasoning Mix

1 can tomato soup

8 hamburger buns, split

BROWN meat; drain. Add seasoning mix and soup. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 min., stirring occasionally.

FILL buns with the meat mixture.

I served them with salsa, lettuce, and cheese; though most of us just had the meat mix and cheese.

Lemon-Pesto Cream Pasta with Chicken

2009-10-06T09:29:00.000-07:00

Lemon-Pesto Cream Pasta with Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
2 boneless chicken breast halves sliced thinly
1 whole lemon
Dash of red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons garlic
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (8 ounce) package pasta (I used bow tie noodles)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Pesto
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Steamed broccoli

DIRECTIONS:

Squeeze lemon on chicken breasts and add, garlic, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Let sit for 1/2 hour.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, season the chicken broth with the remaining garlic and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and add pasta. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Add more water if the noodles are not done and you run out of liquid.
In another pan, heat oil and quickly cook chicken. Add cream, pesto, Parmesan, and lemon zest. Cook, stirring, over low heat for 5 minutes. Add cooked noodles and steamed broccoli. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Stir thoroughly before serving.

Bread Bowls

2009-10-01T21:22:00.000-07:00

Delina's Bread....Bowl style

So, this was totally an experiment-- Delina said we could be creative with the shape of the bread right? So while making soup on Wednesday, I wondered if the recipe would work if I tried to make a bread bowl...here is the pic of the bread while rising

And here is the DELICIOUS final product!! It was SO yummy! and my kids thought I was the coolest because I served them soup in a bowl made of bread! For two or three minutes I was an awesome mom- and then I asked Addison to clear the table and I lost THAT status!

Broccoli Cheese Soup
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
4-6 cups milk (depending on how thick you like it)
2-3 cups cheese (depending on how cheesey you like it)
1 head broccoli
2 Chicken Breasts
salt and pepper to taste

Bake Chicken and cube. Stem and steam broccoli, cut into small pieces. Melt butter and whisk in flour, add milk and cheese. Cook on low until cheese is melted. Add broccoli and chicken. Cook on low for at least 10 minutes.

Chevy's corn pudding

2009-10-01T16:04:00.001-07:00

Chevy's is my favorite mexican restaurant and I went looking for this corn pudding recipe after a recent trip there. I made it and it tastes just like the real deal.
5 Tbsp margarine (I used butter, but we know Sara will be using margarine. *love ya Sara!*)
1/4 c. masa Harina (like a fine cornmeal, look in mexican aisle)
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
2 c. corn
1/2 c. cornmeal
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp + 1 tsp milk
Mix margarine, masa and sugar until fluffy. Blend half of the corn and water in blender or food processor until smooth. Combine masa mixture with corn mixture, then add remaining corn, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and milk. Here's the strange part. Place in a 8' sq baking pan and cover with foil. Steam by setting atop a medium sauce pan of water on top of the stove. * see note... Bring water to a boil and steam corn mixture for 50 minutes to one hour. It should not have a cornmean texture, but more of a pudding type consistency..hence the name. :) Keep an eye on the water, you may need to add more. I also found a recipe where you cooked it in the oven. I have tried both methods and the steaming method worked much better. I know it sounds like a lot of work but it's worth it. Yum!

Pasta e Fagioli

2009-10-01T15:33:00.000-07:00

This has become one of my favorite soup recipes, in fact it's on the menu for tonight.

2 tsp olive oil

2-3 turkey italian sausages (I use ground italian sausage)

1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 28oz can of whole tomatoes, blended (I just use diced tomatoes)

4 c. chicken broth

2 15oz cans white beans

1 tsp. basil

1/2 tsp oregano

1 c. tube shaped pasta

1-2 c. fresh baby spinach

2 tbsp. fresh parsley

Saute meat and onion, add garlic. Add everything else except for pasta and spinach. Bring to a boil, add pasta. Simmer. (I add the spinach about 5-10 minutes before serving)

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2009-10-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

This recipe is nothing new and exciting, but it's a great way to use up that zucchini sitting on the counter. I got this recipe from allrecipes and the only change I made, was to add a few tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa to the batter, because you know how I love my chocolate!

2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth.
In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, grated zucchini, vanilla and chocolate; beat well. Stir in the flour baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean

Balsamic and Rosemary Roast Pork Loin

2009-09-29T10:03:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
1 tbsp ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
2-3 pound boneless pork loin roast

Preparation:

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients, except the pork loin. Place the pork into a plastic freezer bag and pour in the marinade. Press out air, seal the bag, and marinate the pork for 3 hours to overnight.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Take pork out of marinade (save marinade--see below). Sear pork at high heat for 10 minutes and then lower heat to 350 degrees F. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 145-150 degrees (about 50 minutes). Remove and let the pork loin rest for 10 minutes before serving. Slice and serve with some of the marinade drizzled over the top.

(Can be grilled -- wrap in tin foil then grill)

Note: the marinade can be reduced in a saucepan while the pork is resting, if a thicker, more intense sauce is desired. After reduced then pour/spread over cooked loin.

Serve with rice, garlic mashed potatoes, or wild rice.

Korean Barbeque Beef "tacos"

2009-09-28T12:41:00.000-07:00

3 lbs top sirloin
1 c. sugar
1 c. low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 c. green onions
6 large cloves garlic
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water
romaine leaves, washed and dried
steamed rice
Add sugar, soy sauce, oil, onions, garlic and spices to blender and pulse on high 30 seconds. Slice meat along side into large thin pieces (1/2" thick) (Reserve half the marinade) Pour marinade into large ziploc with meat. Marinade 4 hours, then grill. Pour reserved marinade into saucepan and bring to a boil, whisk in cornstarch and water mixture. Stir until thickened. Pour over meat or serve on the side. Slice meat into small pieces (I just use my kitchen scissors) Make a "taco" by placing some rice, meat and sauce on top of lettuce leaf, fold in half and eat.
I have eaten them this way, yummy, but messy for kids. The next time I made it I just served it over rice and it was equally delicious.

Molten Chocolate Cake

2009-09-28T12:25:00.000-07:00

10 Tbsp unsalted butter

5 ounces bittersweet, (unsweetened) or semi chocolate, chopped

3 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Whipped cream or ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Butter and lightly flour eight 6-ounce ramekins; tap out the excess flour. Set the ramekins on a baking sheet.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a small sauce pan. Cool slightly.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs and yolks. Whisk in powdered sugar then chocolate mixture and flour. Divide batter into the prepared ramekin.

Bake in the center of the over for about 11 (or up to 14) minutes.

Run a knife around the sides of the cakes to loosen them, turn them over, let stand for a few seconds and then remove the ramekins.. Serve cakes immediately with a dollop of whipped cream.