Biscotti

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powderPreheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar in another large bowl until pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the orange and lemon zests to the dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the eggs and sugar and beat just until blended (the dough will be soft and sticky). Let stand for 5 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, forming two mounds spaced evenly apart. Moisten your hands with water and shape the dough into two 11 by 4-inch logs. Bake until lightly brown, about 35 minutes. Cool the logs for 5 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. Arrange the biscotti cut side down on the same baking sheet. Bake until the biscotti are pale and golden, about 25 minutes. Cool the biscotti on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the biscotti to a rack and cool completely.

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, about 1 1/2 minutes total. Dip 1 cut side of each biscotti into the melted chocolate. Gently shake off the excess chocolate. Place the biscotti, chocolate side up, on the baking sheet. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm, about 35 minutes. Dip a pastry brush in the cocoa, then lightly brush the cocoa over the chocolate on each biscotti.

The biscotti can be made ahead. Store them in an airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap them in foil and freeze in resealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.

Alicia's Note: I added chopped dried cranberries and did not add the lemon zest, so yummy!!!

Yummy Twist on Lemon Poppyseed

Ok, so I needed to make a dessert last night at the last minute. We had been invited to some friends for dinner. I wanted to make a Lemon Poppyseed cake, but I did not have lemon pudding. So I tried white chocolate pudding and I added almond and orange extract to the glaze for flavor. It was yumm-o. I am so excited that I was able to experiment and have it turn out so great. Try it, its yummy.

1 pkg yellow cake mix (golden butter recipe from Duncan Hines)
1 pkg instant white chocolate pudding
1 cup water
1/2 cup oil
4 eggs
4 Tbsp. poppyseed

Glaze:
milk
powder sugar
almond extract
orange extract

Thanksgiving Recipes

Mom's Stuffing
Saute in a cube of butter:
1 onion
4-5 celery stalks
one container of sliced mushrooms (optional)
In another frying pan, cook up one package of sausage

In a large bowl mix 1 large bag pre-made stuffing breadcrumbs (no flavor added)
Add celery and onions and sausage. Stir together with 1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans or pecan halves (I like them in bigger pieces)
Pour one can of chicken stock and more melted butter if it looks dry Season with salt and pepper and sage. Stir all together, taste it to make sure the seasoning is correct.
Bake it at 350 for 30-45 minutes.
(Call me if you have questions)

Apple Pie
You need 2 pie crusts (I use Martha Stewart's Pate Brisee recipe)
In a bowl mix about 8-10 peeled and sliced apples ( I like to use Granny Smith)
add 1/4 cup flour 1/2 -3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg and 1/2 cube melted butter, mix it well so everything is combined. Dump it into the pie shell and cover it with second pie crust. Make sure you vent it. Brush the top crust with 1 beaten egg and 2 Tbs, milk. Bake for about 45 minutes at 375 or until crust is golden brown. Check on it throughout the baking time, you may need to cover the edges with foil.

There are also some good recipes on foodtv.com that may explain things better. I don't really follow a recipe for apple pie so I am kind of guessing on this.

Cranberry Sauce
1 bag fresh cranberries
1 whole orange peel and all
1 whole apple (take out the seeds)
1 cup sugar
Blend in a food processor until it is the right consistency

Gaucamole

3-4 ripe avocados
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste
pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream

Mash the avocados with a fork pour juice over them and add the rest of the ingredients. I do a lot of add a little, taste it and add what I think it is missing, so play around with it. The best way to tell is to taste.

Recipe Help!

I know, its a stretch for me to ask for help here, since I never contribute. But that's why I ask for help, I really don't have much to contribute when it comes to cooking. I am looking for really great recipes for stuffing and apple pie. That is my job for Thanksgiving. We are going over to our friends house. I will miss you all. Is everyone going to mom's?

Chicken Taco Rice

1 lb. chicken- I like to use chicken tenders, they are the easiest to work with
2 Tb. oil
1 can chicken broth
1- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 pkg. taco seasoning- mild
1- 12 oz. can drained corn
1 med. red pepper- sliced in strips
1 1/2 cup minute rice
1 cup shredded cheese
1 bag tortilla chips
some sour cream
Some guacamole

Sautee chicken in oil in a big skillet (big enough to hold all of these ingredients). When chicken is done, in skillet, just break into bite-ish size pieces with forks. Add broth, tomato sauce, and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, simmer for 5 minutes. Add drained corn and sliced pepper. Bring to a full boil. Stir in uncooked rice. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover again and let stand for just a little while. Serve with chips, sour cream and guacamole. This is even better hours after you make it so you can make it one night have it the next day or make it in the morning and have it that night. Obviously heat it up if you don't eat it right away. Yummy!!!

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

-1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
-4 eggs
-1 cup vegetable oil
-2/3 cup water
-3 cups white sugar
-3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoons baking soda
-1 1/2 teaspoons salt
-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
-1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
-1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
-1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
-1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 loaf pans
2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the 3 prepared pans.
3. Bake for about 50 minutes in preheated oven.

I found this recipe on another blog and decided to make it today for some friends. Wow! It's good. Definitely a crowd-pleaser.

Pumpkin Cookies

Rachel asked me for a good pumpkin cookie recipe and so I gave her one that I had, but since then I found this one on a recipe blog.
They are pretty good. Here is the recipe.

Herbed Chicken Fettuccine

1 to 2 t. seasoning salt
1 lb boneless, skinless breast, cut into 1 inch strips
4 T. butter
2/3 cup water
2 T. teriyaki sauce (I have used BBQ sauce when I don't have this)
2 T. onion soup mix
1 envelope herb and garlic mix
8 oz. uncooked fettuccine ( I use only noodles I have)
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1 T. Worcestershire sauce

Saute chicken with seasoning salt and 2 T. butter. Add the water, teriyaki sauce, onion soup mix and 2 T. herb and garlic mix. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook fettuccine, drain. Add to chicken mixture. Add cheese, Worcestershire sacue, remaining butter, and remaining herb and garlic mix; toss to coat.

"The Perfect Cookie"

I made these yesterday, so I could try them out and they are soooooooo, soooo good. They are chewy and moist and I was very tickled to find this recipe for choco chip cookies.

CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COCONUT COOKIES,
AKA "THE PERFECT COOKIE"
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 C brown sugar, packed
- 6 T sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 t salt
- 1/2 t baking soda
- 1 C flour
- 2 1/4 C oats
- 1 1/2 C coconut
- 12 oz semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (2 cups)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat butter and sugars at high speed until fluffy. Add eggs and beat till blended. Beat in vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Add flour and mix at low speed until blended. Stir in oats, coconut and chocolate.

Arrange 1/4 cup mounds about 3 inches apart on large buttered baking sheets. Pat down to 1/2 inch. Bake in upper oven, rotating occasionally, 15-18 mins. Cool one minute, transfer to cooling rack. For smaller cookies, adjust baking time...but they are great when they're BIG.
Sorry I will add a picture later, it is not working right now.

Peanut Butter Fudge

I made this yesterday and it is soooo good. I added mini marshmallows, but it is a fun easy snack and I usually have these things on hand. Perfect for a craving. If you have chocolate chips you could pour them on top let them melt and spread it on top then you would have a peanut butter cup type thing.

1 cup butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar
Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes. Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. Pour into a buttered 8 by 8-inch pan lined with waxed paper. Place a second piece of waxed paper on the surface of the fudge and refrigerate until cool. Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Chicken Fiesta Soup

1 can chicken stock

1 small can diced green chiles
1 can of corn
1 can of black beans
1 can of dark red kidney beans (or any bean that you really like)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 12oz can of white chicken breast or 1 large chicken breast
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp cumin

Dump everything into a pot (including all the liquids from the cans). Cook on medium heat until it comes to slow boil (about 30-40 minutes) and voila you are ready to eat. Serve with sour cream, chips and cheese.

Taco Bowls

I just found this on a recipe blog Jacque guided me to, and I haven't tried these, but I thought they were a fun variation and kids might love them.

20 6 inch flour tortillas
1 lb ground beef
taco seasoning
16 oz shredded cheese

Preheat the oven to 350. Trim about 1/2 inch from edge of tortillas, push into muffin tins.

Brown ground beef, add seasoning and about 2/3 cup of water, simmer until water is absorbed. Put about 2 Tablespoons of meat into each muffin tin. Cover with cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and tortillas are brown.

Serve with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, avocados, etc.

Rachel's Meals

1. Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
2. Chicken Enchiladas
3. Chicken Enchilada Soup
4. Breakfast Sandwiches - "The Upstate"
5. Matt's Pasta
6. Chile Verde
7. Ranch-Parmesan Chicken

Mom's recipes

Just invite myself over to Alicia's house for dinner!

1. Chicken and Rice Casserole.
2. Taco Salad
3. Pork Chops
4. Roast
5. Cheese Sandwiches and Tomato Soup
6. Stroganoff
7. Roast Chicken
8. Taco Soup
9. Chip Beef on Toast

Alicia's 7 day Menu

OK, here is my contribution, if you need recipes for any of the following add that in the comment and I will get it to you.

1. Meatballs over rice
2. Chimichangas
3. Southwestern Turkey Panini Sandwiches
4. Potato Soup
5. Chicken Pot Pie
6. Chili and Cornbread
7. Taco Salad

Chile Verde

4 T cooking oil
1/3 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c chopped cilantro
3-4 jalapeno peppers
4-6 lbs boneless pork, cut into 1" cubes
1 can chopped green chiles
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
3 minced garlic cloves
1 cup mild salsa
14.5 oz chicken broth

In a frying pan, brown the cut up pork in olive oil. Pour into crock pot. Sprinkle with flour to coat meat. Add all the remaining ingredients. Simmer on high for 6-8 hours. Serves 8.

I learned this at an Enrichment cooking class tonight. My friend actually halved the amount of pork and kept the rest of the ingredients the same. It was to DIE for and fed seven women with lots of leftovers. Really, you should try it!

Salsa

2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 green pepper
1-2 jalapenos
6 green onions
Fresh cilantro and stems
2 tsp garlic
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin

Blend in blender until evenly chopped.

Recipe Blog Assignment

OK everyone, I have an assignment for you. Would everyone post a 7 day menu on here, not as a comment, but as a new post. This way we can all get meal ideas. If everyone (Mom-Jacque) will do this we will have 49 meal ideas (assuming no one duplicates), wouldn't that be great. That is 7 weeks worth of meals. These can be the last seven meals you just had, or your upcoming menu or just simply list seven meals you make. Now avoid including Papa Johns pizza night, or frozen burrito night, keep it homemade or as Sandra Lee says, keep it simple, keep it sweet and keep it semi-homemade, (I really hate her show by the way!)

German Chocolate Cheesecake

Jacque had this on her mission and requested it for her birthday. I found this recipe online and I have to say, it was delightful. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

***Cheesecake***
24 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into chunks
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

***Chocolate Cake*** (ended up using a German chocolate cake mix)
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour

***Chocolate Glaze***
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons whipping cream

***German Chocolate Topping*** (I used the canned icing)
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

For Cheesecake: In bowl of electric mixer or in food processor fitted with metal blade, blend cream cheese, sugar, eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.

For Chocolate Cake: In large microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 2 to 3 minutes, or until just melted. Cool slightly. With fork, beat in sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth. Add flour and mix until blended. Spoon into well-greased 9 1/2-inch springform pan, spreading evenly. Carefully, spread cheese mixture evenly over top of chocolate batter.

Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking 55 to 60 minutes. Turn oven off, open oven door and let cake cool completely to room temperature in oven. Refrigerate until well chilled.

Remove sides from springform. Invert cake onto serving plate, so cheesecake is on bottom and chocolate cake is on top. Spread sides with Chocolate Glaze. Spread top evenly with German Chocolate Topping. Refrigerate until serving time. Garnish with whipped cream if desired.

For Chocolate Glaze: In small microwave-safe bowl combine chocolate chips with whipping cream. Microwave on HIGH power for 45 to 60 seconds. Beat until smooth. Spread on sides of cheesecake.

For German Chocolate Topping: In small microwave-safe bowl, beat egg yolks. Stir in sugar, butter and whipping cream. Microwave on HIGH power 4 minutes, stirring every minute. Remove from microwave and stir in vanilla extract. Stir in coconut and pecans until well blended. Refrigerate until mixture is of spreading consistency. Spread on top of the cheesecake.

Lemon Chiffon Pie

We learned how to make this at an Enrichment activity last week. So good and I'm not really a lemon fan. Worth the try.

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup + 1 T cornstarch
1 T grated lemon peel
1 cup lemon juice
3 C boiling water
8 eggs, separated
1/4 cup margarine or butter
egg whites, whipped
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

In heavy saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; add lemon juice and lemon peel. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks. Add to lemon mixture. Gradually add boiling water, stirring constantly. Over medium heat, cook and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Add margarine and stir until melted.
Whip egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar while mixing. Whipe until stiff peaks form. Carefully mix one large scoop of whites into lemon mixture. Then reverse and fold remaining lemon mixtures into whites. Just fold. Do not overbeat or egg whites will break down. Gently spoon mixture into two cooked 9# pie crusts. Refrigerate until set, 6-8 hours. Makes 2 pies.

Easy corn chowder

I am not the biggest fan of corn chowder, but Mark is so I thought I would try this out. It is so easy and pretty good...Mark loved it but he loves everything I make. Enjoy! Hailey liked it too and that is good enough for me.

We like to add a little cheese on top once we are ready to eat.

INGREDIENTS
4 slices bacon, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 (14.75 ounce) can cream-style corn
1 1/2 cups cubed potatoes
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
3 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute the bacon and onions together until onions are tender, about 7 minutes. Add the corn, potatoes, soup, milk, and salt and pepper. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about 25 to 35 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

Peppermint Patty Brownies

1 and 1/2 cups butter, melted
3 cups sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
5 eggs
2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
24 peppermint patties (small 1-1/2 inch)

Heat oven to 350 degrees; 325 if using a glass pan. Grease a 9x13 inch pan. In a large bowl, stir together butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs; stir until well blended. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; blend well. Set aside 2 cups of batter. Spread remaining batter in prepared pan. Arrange peppermint patties in a single layer over the batter, about 1/2 inch apart. Spread reserved batter over the patties. Bake 50-55 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Food Colors

"Yesterday I went to the doctor for my yearly physical.
My blood pressure was high, my cholesterol was high, I'd gained some weight, and I didn't feel so hot. My doctor said eating right doesn't have to be complicated and it would solve my physical problems. He said just think in colors; Fill your plate with bright colors; greens, yellows, reds, etc. I went right home and ate an entire bowl of M&M's and sure enough, I felt better immediately. I never knew eating right could be so easy."

Baked French Toast

OK this one actually should be credited to Jacque as she found the blog site where this recipe came from. I made it this morning for Travis Lovell and his sister and we loved it. I did not put berries on it before I baked it, but made a berry syrup to go on top. The best is that you can make it the night before and then throw it in the oven.
One 8 oz loaf or 1/2 lb French bread or cinnamon bread
(I used Smith's cinnamon swirl, absolutely delicious)
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups skim milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp butter
2 cups fresh or frozen berries

Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Arrange bread slices in the dish. In a large bowl, stir eggs, milk, granulated sugar and vanilla. Slowly pour over bread. Press lightly with the back of a large spoon to moisten bread. Cover and chill in refrigerator overnight. Combine flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. With forks, cut in butter until pieces are the size of small peas.

Before baking, sprinkle berries over bread; sprinkle flour mixture over berries. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 oven for 25-30 minutes until a knife inserted off-center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut into squares. Serve with syrup.

Love this site!

Ok, while I know I haven't contributed much, I wanted to let you know that I am really enjoying this site. We have tried many of the recipes--working on trying all of them, and we love them!! You ladies are amazing!

Pizza Garlic Knots

I made these tonight, they were so good, Reagan ate about 5
Basic Pizza Dough
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons minced garlic (I used garlic salt, about 1/2 tsp.)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (I used Parmesan)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (I omitted)

Prepare Basic Pizza Dough and set aside to rise.

Combine butter and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover, remove from the heat and set aside. Keep warm.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease 2 large baking sheets. Set aside.

Remove risen dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough out into a large rectangle, about 16 by 12 inches. Brush the dough lightly with the olive oil. Cut the dough in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into strips about 1 1/4 inches wide. Tie each strip loosely into a knot, stretching gently if necessary, and place on prepared baking sheets about 2-inches apart. Sprinkle the tops of the knots with salt. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 30 minutes.

Bake until golden brown and risen, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and toss gently with the warm garlic butter, Pecorino Romano cheese, and parsley. Add salt to taste if necessary. Serve immediately.

Ham & Pineapple

I haven't tried this but found the recipe and wanted to make sure I could find it again. I'll let you know how it goes.

sliced ham (deli meat works well)
1 can crushed pineapple--use all of juice and 1/2 of pineapple
1/2 cup brown sugar
cinnamon
nutmeg
cloves

Put juice, pineapple, brown sugar, and seasonings in a pot (not the crock pot). Heat just long enough to melt sugar. Pour a little of sauce on bottom of crock pot. Put ham in and pour the rest of sauce on top. Cook one hour or until warm.

Teriyaki Crock Pot Chicken

(This is NOT what mine looked like - this is a random photo from the web.)

3 T brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
garlic powder
½ cup water
ginger

Pour ingredients over chicken in crock pot. Cook 1 hour on high or 6-7 hours on low.

I made this the other night. It has GREAT flavor. Unfortunately my chicken was a little dry , so you may want to play around with some ways to keep it moist. But the flavor is great so you really should try this!

Pizza Sauce

1/2 med onion
1 T olive oil
1-2 cans tomatoes (I used petite diced)
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Sautee onion in olive oil. Add tomatoes and seasonings. Let simmer about 15 minutes. Put on pizza dough while hot.

Cafe Rio Pork Barbacoa

We made this tonight and put it on salad with Guacamole Ranch dressing, cilantro, cheese, olives and tomatoes, soooooo GOOD!!! Tyler said it is pretty stinking close to the real thing, give it a try

CAFE RIO PORK (copycat recipe)
Slow cook your pork roast in a crock pot with garlic and a little water until you can pull it apart. At that point add the following

1 can diced green chilis
1 to 2 cans of medium or hot enchilada sauce (the red stuff), depending on how much pork you use
1 can of either Dr. Pepper or Coke (I used Dr. Pepper)
At least 1 cup of brown sugar but use as much more as you want to get your sweetness
salt to taste.
It is so easy to make too.


Tomatillo Dressing
1 Pkg. Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tomatillos
½ to 1 clove garlic minced
½ to 1/3 Bunch Cilantro, chopped
½ tsp. Lime Juice
½ to 1 small Jalapeno (seeds removed) (optional)
Blend all ingredients together in a blender.

Hello, Is anyone out there?

Hey guys, I know you do more cooking than this blog demonstrates. Start adding some fun ideas.

Fusilli with Spinach and Asiago Cheese

Made this tonight for dinner it is AMAZING! Tyler and I loved it and the kids ate the noodles really well, they weren't real jazzed on the "green and red stuff". But the flavor is dynamo! I used the Protein enriched Barilla pasta, so it was healthy too!

1 pound fusilli pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (9-ounce) bag fresh spinach, roughly chopped
8 ounces (1/2 pint) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup (about 3 1/2-ounces) grated Asiago (I did not use this, I only added the Parmesan)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, warm olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and tomatoes and cook until the spinach wilts, about 2 more minutes. Add the cooked pasta and toss. Add the cheeses, salt, pepper, and the pasta cooking liquid and stir to combine.

Transfer the pasta to a serving plate and serve.

Pressed Cuban Burgers

Bobby Flay made this burger on his Throwdown show and it won. But more importantly it looked by far the best of all the burgers they made. I have not tried it, but I am going to so I thought I would post it for all to try. I will let you know as soon as we've made them.


1 pound ground chuck
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup best quality mayonnaise
3 cloves roasted garlic, pureed
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
4 hamburger buns
4 slices thinly sliced smoked ham
8 slices thinly sliced Swiss cheese
2 dill pickles, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices

Form the meat into 4 (1/4-inch thick) burgers. Season the meat with salt and pepper on both sides and cook in a saute pan (or on the grill) over high heat to medium doneness, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Combine the mayonnaise and roasted garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread both sides of each bun with mayonnaise and mustard.

Place a slice of cheese on the bottom portion of each bun, place the burger on top of the cheese, then top the burger with a slice of ham then another slice of cheese then the pickle slices. Place the tops of the bun over the pickles and cook on a sandwich press or wrap the burgers in aluminum foil and cook in a hot skillet over high heat with a heavy skillet placed on top of the burger to press the sandwich. Cook until golden brown and cheese has melted.

Carrie's Favorite Chicken Kicked Up A Notch

Alicia made this yesterday and it sounded good to me so I'm making it today and posting it here.

Put 4-5 chicken breasts/12 chicken tenders in a 9x13 pan
Salt & Pepper

In a separate bowl mix:

1 can tomato soup
1 can cream of chicken
3/4 cup shredded cheese
1 T chili powder
1/2 cup salsa

Pour sauce over the chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Serve over rice.

Another variation:

Cook chicken and sauce in crock pot all day long. Shred chicken and serve in tortillas. Top with sour cream and/or guacamole.

(I'll take a picture tonight and post it.)

Mini Frittatas

We had these for dinner tonight with French Toast and we all loved them. You might be able to do these in regular muffin tins, but I haven't tried. I think it is a fun breakfast though and good protein food.

Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
8 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk (I used 1%)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces thinly sliced ham or bacon or both, chopped
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan (or whatever cheese)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Spray 2 mini muffin tins (each with 24 cups) with nonstick spray. Whisk the eggs, milk, pepper, and salt in a large bowl to blend well. Stir in the ham, cheese, and parsley. Fill prepared muffin cups almost to the top with the egg mixture. Bake until the egg mixture puffs and is just set in the center, about 8 to 10 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the frittatas from the muffin cups and slide the frittatas onto a platter. Serve immediately.

Waffles of Insane Greatness

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk or buttermilk (or whatever milk you have)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter and syrup, for serving
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Add the milk, vegetable oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.
Preheat a waffle iron. Do not use non-stick spray on the waffle iron; the oil in the batter will allow the waffle to release easily. Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles. Serve immediately with butter and syrup.

Chicken "Club" Salad

Tyler and I loved this salad, especially the basil Mayo dressing. It is similar to a Panzanella, So Good!

3 cups 3/4-inch cubes Italian bread (preferably whole-wheat)
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 slices lean bacon, chopped
3 pounds chicken breasts, poached, skin and bones discarded, and the meat cut into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
4 scallions including the green part, minced
1/2 cup Quick Basil Mayonnaise, recipe follows
Salt and pepper
Basil sprigs for garnish, if desiredPreheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl drizzle the bread cubes with the oil, tossing them to coat evenly, and season them with salt. Spread the bread cubes in a jelly-roll pan, toast them in the middle of the preheated oven oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are golden, and let them cool. In a skillet cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until it is crisp and transfer it with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. In a large bowl combine well the chicken, the tomatoes, the scallions, 2/3 of the bacon, the mayonnaise, and salt and pepper to taste, divide the salad among 6 plates, and arrange the croutons around it. Garnish each serving with some of the remaining bacon and a basil sprig.

Quick Basil Mayonnaise:
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup mayonnaise
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepperIn a food processor or blender blend together the basil, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Season the mayonnaise with salt and pepper.

Yield: about 1 1/4 cups

Thai Peanut Slaw

I got this recipe from Cheryl Okelberry, I can't remember if I have eaten it or if she just said it was really good, either way it sounds yummy to me.

4 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1/4 cup salted peanuts
1/2 cup salted peanuts finely ground
3 Tbs. peanut or canola oil
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp. garlic
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

In a large bowl combine first 5 ingredients. In a small bowl combine rest of the ingredients. Just before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.

Fruit Salad

I had this at a ward party and I thought the combination was awesome.
Fresh Blueberries
Sliced and quartered Kiwi fruit
Fresh pineapple wedges
Mix it all up and Eat it

Salad Recipes

Now that summer is here and I don't love cooking in the heat, I would LOVE some good salad recipes. I am going to try the Applebees' Salad (hopefully tonight). Any other good ones?

Grilled Burgers

I just thought I would pass on a tip for grilling burgers. When mixing the meat prior to making patties, season it with salt and pepper and any other flavors you might like such as A-1 steak sauce, but here it the cool part pour in a Tbs. or 2 of Corn Syrup. It replaces the need for an egg and acts as a binder. It keeps the burgers moist. We did it tonight and they were so good. Anyway, thought I would pass it on.

Outrageous Brownies

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups diced walnut pieces
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.
Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.


Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.

These are do good ,but not the healthiest thing, but I just wanted to share this one. They are Tyler's favorite.

ORIENTAL CHICKEN SALAD LIKE APPLEBEE'S

I just finished my salad and it was really good. It does taste like the one I had at Applebee's. Mmmm....


4 breaded chicken breast fillets
1 romaine heart
1 1/2 c. coleslaw mix (or finely shredded cabbage)
1/3 c. toasted almond slivers or slices (blanched almonds)
1/2 c. chow mein noodles

Dressing:
1/3 c. vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. horseradish
1/4 c. spanish onion, diced
1 c. canola oil

Cook chicken fillets as directed.

To make dressing, combine everything but the oil in a blender of food processor and process until liquified.

Continue to blend and slowly drizzle in the oil until blended.

Make coleslaw with the cabbage and the dressing first and top it with the lettuce, almonds and noodles. Then cut up the chicken and add to salads.

Spicy Tomato Bisque

I know - another soup but I had this for lunch (at Garden Cafe) yesterday and Alicia is making it for dinner tonight. If it's not good, she'll let us know...

1 (28 ounce) can tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 cup milk
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves (optional)

In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the tomato puree, red pepper flakes, black pepper, basil, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.

Whisk in the cream cheese until well blended, then stir in the milk. Heat through without bringing to a boil. Stir in the fresh basil, and remove from the heat.

Creamed Peas and Potatoes

Carl has been asking me to make this forever and I finally did last night. So here is my contribution to the recipe corner. When I find something unique and creative and will post other recipes. You can make this a couple different ways. You could make a rue first with flour, milk and butter. But this is what I did.

5-6 medium potatoes (10-12 if using red potatoes)
Frozen Peas
Onion chopped
*Boil these until potatoes are soft
Add...
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 stick butter
salt and pepper to taste

At this point you could add a rue or cornstarch to thicken.
Yummy

Wisconsin Cauliflower-Cheddar Soup

Matt LOVES this soup at Zupas and has been asking me (for about four months) to find the recipe and make it. Well, I finally did tonight and it turned out pretty well. Mine wasn't as smooth as Zupas, but still wasn't bad. Try it out - you just might like it!

2 tablespoons margarine or butter (1/4 stick)
1 medium onion, chopped (I of course ommitted the onion)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 can (13 3/4 to 14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 head (2 1/2 pounds) cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 package (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (2 cups)

1. In 4-quart saucepan, melt margarine or butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until golden, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour and salt; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Gradually stir in milk, chicken broth, and 1 1/2 cups water; add cauliflower and heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes.

3. In blender (with center part of blender cover removed to allow steam to escape), blend cauliflower mixture at low speed in small batches until very smooth.

4. Return cauliflower mixture to saucepan; heat over medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in mustard and 1 1/2 cups cheese until melted and smooth. Garnish soup with remaining cheese to serve.

Swedish Meatballs

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup sour cream

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 egg beaten

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tsp vegetable oil

Hot cooked egg noodles

cherry tomatoes and fresh parsley for garnish

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine soup, water, sour cream; set aside

In medium bowl, mix thoroughly beef, breadcrumbs, onion, egg, and nutmeg. Shape mixture into 16 meatballs.

In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, in hot oil, brown meatballs a few at a time until thoroughly cooked and no longer pink. Spoon off excess fat.

Stir in soup mixture. Reduce heat to low. Heat through; do not boil. Serve over noodles. Garnish with tomatoes and parsley if desired.

*makes 4 main dish servings.

Chicken Enchiladas Soup

We had this last night. I thought it was really good. Some of the kids liked it. But we took our corn tortillas, cut them into triangles, and fried them up to make our own chips. All the kids loved that!


2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 sm. onion, chopped
Saute onion and garlic in hot oil.
Add: 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can chicken broth, undiluted 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted 1 (14 1/2 oz.) can beef broth, undiluted 1 (6 3/4 oz.) can chunk-style chicken 1 1/2 c. water 1 tbsp. steak sauce (A-1) 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. chili powder 1/8 tsp. pepper

Stir, cover, and simmer 20 minutes (I have been known to eat this almost immediately when in a hurry!). Last 5 minutes add strips of corn tortillas (I buy a small package and just cut in 1 1/2-inch strips--use half the package or as many as you want and steam the rest in microwave to eat with soup).

Labels

Don't forget to label your recipe....see the bottom right of the comment box...type in your own label. I have gone back and added labels to the recipes already on the page.

Salmon

OK this one is from Carl's uncle, and I tried it last night and it so good!
Take as many pieces of salmon as you would normally feed your family, cut it up into 1 inch cubes. In a ziploc bag pour in 1/2 cube melted butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/4 cup lemon juice. Mix it all up and add the salmon pieces. Let it sit for an hour or so. Heat up your grill and make a makeshift pan out of tin foil on the grill. Pour in the salmon and the sauce and let it cook for about 5 minutes or until it is done. EAT IT UP
I loved it.

Kid Friendly Sloppy Joes

Ok, it's about time I post this since I suggested the recipe idea! This one is very good because there are no chunks and it's sweet--kids like it! Mom and Dad said it is blog-worthy!

Brown and drain 1 lb. hamburger

Mix and add:

1/4 c. ketchup
1/2 c. (1 can) tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 T. vinegar
1 T. worchestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper (or less)
1/4 c. brown sugar -very packed
1/4 tsp. chili powder

Simmer 1 hr. until sauce is very thick and will not make buns soggy!

Grilled Mahi Mahi Fillets

This is what I'm having for dinner tonight since Matt is gone. This is a Rachael Ray recipe.

4 portions, 6 to 8 ounces each, mahi mahi fillets
Salt and pepper
2 limes, juiced
3 tablespoons dark tamari soy sauce
2 inches fresh ginger root, grated, about 1 1/2 tablespoons (NOTE: I use the powder but Alicia highly recommends fresh.)
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

Preheat grill pan to over medium high to high heat. Season mahi mahi fillets with salt and pepper. Combine the lime juice, dark soy, ginger and a little vegetable or canola oil in a shallow dish. Turn the mahi mahi in the citrus soy marinade and let it hang out for 10 minutes. Grill on hot grill pan for 6 minutes per side for a 1-inch fillet or until fish is firm and opaque.

RR recommends this served with asparagus, which I am going to do tonight. Hope you like this recipe.

Here is our recipe blog...

Post your recipes on this blog....and when you can - a picture! Also, put a label (fish, chicken, beef, casserole, etc) for your recipe then when we click on that label we can find all the recipes with the same label. Pretty nifty!