Friday, April 22, 2011

Walnut Stuffed Chicken Roulade Rachael Ray


Cheeseburger Pasta

From the Recipe Shoebox.




The ingredients:

1 box (12-ounces) penne pasta

1 lb. ground beef (I used ground turkey)

1 onion, diced

1 can (14-1/2-oz.) diced tomatoes

2 Tbs. prepared mustard

3 Tbs. ketchup

3 Tbs. dill pickle relish

1-1/2 tsp. steak seasoning (I used McCormick Montreal steak seasoning)

1/4 tsp. seasoned salt

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

chopped green onions, for garnishment (optional)




Directions: Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, mustard, ketchup, relish, steak seasoning, and seasoned salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered , for 5 minutes. Stir in drained pasta. Cook for 1 minute more. Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from heat; cover and let stand until cheese is melted. Garnish with green onions if desired.

Gourmet Mushroom Rissotto

For this recipe i left out the shallot and I added 1-11/2 C chopped toasted walnuts.




Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth, divided

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 shallots, diced

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

sea salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons finely chopped chives

4 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.

2.Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.

3.Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.

4.Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Chicken Codon Bleu

Pound 3lb. of thick chicken breasts until they are very thin. Layer each cken breast with 1 thin slice of deli ham and 1 slice of deli swiss cheese. Roll and secure with toothpicks. In a skillet brown each side of the chicken in oil. Place aside. In a large measuring cup place 3 cans of Annie' s condensed mushroom soup and 3/4 of a can of milk. Mix well. Place a layer of the soup mixture on the bottom of a 9"X13" pan. Add chicken and the rest of the soup mixture. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 1 hour UNCOVERED.

Lamb Burgers with Sun Dried TOmato Aioli

(serving size: 1 burger)


Ingredients

10 sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil

1 cup water

1/4 cup canola mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

2 garlic cloves, minced and divided

2 tablespoons grated pecorino Romano cheese

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 pound lean ground lamb

Cooking spray

4 (2-ounce) multigrain hamburger buns

2 cups arugula

4 (1/2-inch-thick) tomato slices



Preparation

1. Place sun-dried tomatoes and 1 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave on HIGH 2 minutes ( I did this in  a pan). Let stand 3 minutes. Drain. Place sun-dried tomatoes, mayonnaise, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1 garlic clove in a mini food processor; pulse 10 times or until tomatoes are finely chopped. Set aside.

2. Combine remaining 1 garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, cheese, salt, and lamb in a large bowl. Divide mixture into 4 portions, shaping into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm.

3. Arrange 4 bun halves, cut sides down, in pan over medium-high heat; cook 1 minute or until toasted. Repeat procedure with remaining bun halves. Spread about 1 tablespoon mayonnaise mixture on bottom half of each bun; top each with 1/2 cup arugula, 1 patty, 1 tomato slice, and top half of bun.
 

Crockpot Au Gratin Potatoes

4 Russet Potatoes Sliced into 1/4 slices


3 TBSP butter

3 TBSP Flour (I used Rice flour)

2 Cups Milk

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese

Salt & pepper

1 tsp onion powder

Directions



Preheat Crockpot on High or Oven to 400 degrees.

Butter a 2 quart Casserole dish for oven baking or if small enough to fit in crockpot. Otherwise, use the crockpot crock.

Layer 1/2 of the potatoes into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle Salt, Pepper, and onion powder and top with remaining potatoes. Season with salt & pepper again.

In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and 1/2 tsp salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Stir in milk. Cook until mixture has thickened.

Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted (about 30 to 60 seconds. ) Pour cheese over the potatoes.

Place casserole dish in crockpot or oven. Or place lid on crockpot.

Bake in crockpot on high for 3 hours or Bake covered for 1 1/2 hours at 400 degrees in oven.

Makes 4 Servings

Marmalade Curry Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or thighs


1 (18-ounce) jar orange marmalade (
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup chicken broth



The Directions.



Use a 4 quart slow cooker. Put the chicken into the bottom of your slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the marmalade with the dry spices and chicken broth. You'll end up with a slimy orange gel that smells like ginger. Pour this on top of the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for about 4. If when fully cooked the chicken isn't quite as moist as you'd like, you can cut it into strips, then return it to the pot to soak in even more of the yummy sauce. Serve over brown basmati rice.




Pizza Joes

From the Recipe Shoebox:






The ingredients: 1 lb. ground beef (or turkey)

1 onion, diced



1 jar (14-oz) pizza sauce

1 cup chopped pepperoni

1 cup shredded mozzarella (or pepper jack) cheese

6 hamburger buns, split (and toasted, if desired)

(Optional): 1 red pepper, diced






Brown ground beef (or turkey) together with diced onion until meat is cooked through. Drain. Add jar of pizza sauce and chopped pepperoni. Cook on medium heat just until heated through. Serve hot over toasted hamburger bun and topped with mozzarella cheese. Makes 6 servings.



Wheat Berries

1 C wheat berries
4 C water
1/2 carrot, peeled and cut in 1 piece
1 bay leaf
2 ts. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook until the wheat berries are tender but not mushy. Remove and discard the vegetables. Stir in the extra virgin olive oil.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Crockpot Greek Chicken

In a skillet cook 2 lb. of chicken ( in 1" cubes), cook in olive oil. Place in the crockpot with 2 jars of pasta sauce. Also add 1 C kalamata olives, 1 large container of fresh spinach, 2 red bell peppers, sliced. Turn on high and cook for 4 hours. Before serving cook 1 lb. of pasta. Serve the sauce over the top of the pasta and top with feta cheese.

Orecchiette with Veal and Capers from Food and Wine Magazine

SERVINGS: 4


FASTMAKE-AHEADIngredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 pound ground veal

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary

2 tablespoons small capers, rinsed

3/4 pound orecchiette

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1.In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the veal, season with salt and pepper and raise the heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veal is no longer pink and any liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes.

2.Add the white wine to the skillet and boil over high heat until nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, thyme, rosemary and capers and simmer over moderate heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

3.Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta well and add it to the skillet along with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, chopped parsley and butter. Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thick and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to bowls and serve right away.





Make Ahead

The veal sauce can be covered and refrigerated overnight. Rewarm the veal sauce before serving.
 
 

Sonoma Diet Chicken, Pear and Walnut Salad

12 oz cooked chicken breast, shredded
4 c torn mixed greens


4 oz gorganzola cheese, crumbled
2 medium ripe pears, cored, halved, and thinly sliced

2 T chopped fresh basil

2 T chopped fresh mint

1/4 c Champagne vinegar

2 T EVOO

1 T Dijon mustard

2/3 c chopped walnuts, toasted





1. In a very large bowl combine chicken, greens, arugula, cheese, pear slices, basil, and mint. Set aside.

2. In a screw-top jar combine Champagne vinegar, olive oil, and mustard. Cover and shake well. Drizzle over chicken mixture. Toss to coat. Top individual servings with walnuts and green onions.



Cooking Light Lentil-Barley Soup

TOTAL:1 HOURS, 20 MINUTES


Ingredients

2 teaspoons canola oil


3 cups organic chicken broth
1 1/2 C Guiness stout
1 small can of mushrooms drained

1 cup chopped carrot

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped parsnip

1/4 cup chopped celery leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1/4 cup uncooked pearl barley

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup dried lentils

1/8 teaspoon salt



Preparation

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. vegetables to the pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add broth, , and beer; bring to a boil. Add spice ingredients(through bay leaves); return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in lentils; cover and cook 30 minutes. Discard bay leaves.

2. Place 1 1/2 cups broth mixture in a blender. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Return pureed mixture to pan, and stir in salt. Return mixture to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.
 

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Guiness Wheaten Bread

3 C. whole wheat flour


1 C. wheat bran plus extra for pan

1/2 C. sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 stick butter, softened

1 1/4 C. buttermilk

1 1/4 C. Guinness



Place first 4 ingredients in large mixing bowl. Blend in butter, buttermilk, and Guinness until porridge-like consistency.



Grease a 9 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 2 3/4 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with bran. Pour in batter. Srpinkle bran on top. Bake at 400F for 40 minutes. Reduce to 375F and bake 30 more minutes.



Bread is done when it sprngs back when pressed. Turn off oven and cook with door open for 30 minutes. Cool on rack.





Sour Cream Banana Bread

For this recipe I first cooked the banana in a pan on the stove. I then set aside to cool and added the banana when needed in the recipe. Also before baking I dusted the loaf with cinnamon sugar.


Butter, for coating the pan

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the pan

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 very ripe medium bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cups)

1/2 cup sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with butter and dust it with flour, tapping out the excess. Whisk together the measured flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl to aerate and break up any lumps. Set aside.

Place the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until thoroughly combined, about 2 minutes. Add the bananas and sour cream and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the flour mixture, and mix until just combined.

Turn the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, the top is golden brown, and the bread is pulling away from the sides of the pan, about 1 hour.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Slide a knife around the perimeter of the pan, invert to release the bread, and cool completely on the wire rack before serving.

Chocolate Chip Biscotti




1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix


1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts

1/2 cup cherry-flavored dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

 1 Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, egg, flour, hazelnuts, cranberries and 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips until stiff dough forms. Shape half of dough at a time into 8x2 1/2-inch rectangle on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on cookie sheet 15 minutes.

2 Cut crosswise into 3/4-inch slices. Place slices, cut sides down, on cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, turning once, until crisp. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.

3 In small microwavable bowl, microwave 1/2 cup chocolate chips on High 30 to 60 seconds; stir until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over one side of each biscotti. Let stand until chocolate is set

Anise Cookies

This recipe is from Cooks.com
1/2 C BUTTER
1/4 C SOUR CREAM
2 tsp. anise
2 tsp. anise seeds
1 egg
2 C all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp.
salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Soften butter, blend with sour cream until creamy.
Add anise and anise sedd and mix well.
Add sugar gradually, beating until well blended.
Add egg and mix well.
Slowly stir in dry ingredients.
Drop from a teaspoon onto a lighty greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 10  minutes.

Homemade Peppermint Extract

- 1/2 Cup fresh Peppermint leaves


1- 2 Cups decent Vodka (I used Absolut Vodka, 80 proof)

1 glass jar with tight lid



1. Pick your Peppermint leaves off and bruise by rolling them between your hands. Stop

and smell :)

2. Place Peppermint leaves in a glass jar, cover leaves completely with vodka or it will

mold.

3. Put the lid on, place a sticker with the day's date on it so you know when it will be ready.

4. Store the filled glass jar in a dark, cool and dry cupboard or pantry.

5. Shake, swirl and wait 30 days.


6. After 30 days remove and use in cakes, brownies, ect. 

Friday, April 1, 2011

Sausage Patties Recipe is From the Cooking Network Magazine

1 3/4 pounds ground pork (not lean)


1 small onion, grated and squeezed dry

4 cloves garlic, finely grated

2 tablespoons minced fresh sage

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Mix the pork, onion, garlic, sage, thyme, syrup, paprika, allspice, coriander, cayenne, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper with your hands. Form into 18 patties, 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick; put on a foil-lined baking sheet, cover and chill overnight.





The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half of the patties, turning once, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet. Wipe out the skillet. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and patties, then transfer the patties to the oven to finish cooking, 5 to 10 minutes.







Asian Peanut Chicken Wrap

Asian Peanut Chicken Wraps From the Recipe Shoebox.



The ingredients:

WRAPS:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

olive oil (for brushing)

2 celery ribs, chopped

2 green onions, sliced

1 grated carrot

1/2 cup snow peas

4 pita breads or large flour tortillas

lettuce leaves



SAUCE: (if using shredded chicken, I recommend making a 1-1/2 batch of the sauce)

1/4 cup peanut butter

3 Tbs. soy sauce

3 Tbs. fresh lime juice

zest of one lime

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. minced fresh ginger

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 clove garlic, minced



Directions: Brush chicken with oil and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until no longer pink and juiced run clear. Set aside, allow to cool, and chop into cubes. (NOTE: I used leftover shredded chicken instead)



In a sauce pan, immerse the snow peas in boiling water for 30-60 seconds. Immediately drain the boiling water and immerse the snow peas in a bowl filled with icy cold water. Allow to sit for 2 minutes in the cold water, then drain and set aside.



Meanwhile, in a bowl whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, lime zest, sugar, ginger, sesame oil, and garlic until smooth.



In a large bowl, toss the cooled chicken and snow peas, celery, green onions, and carrot. Pour peanut butter dressing over the chicken/veggie mixture and toss until evenly coated. Spoon into lettuce lined pitas or tortillas and roll. Makes 4 servings. Enjoy!