In the Kitchen with Julia

Snickers Ice Cream Cake

2011-04-27T14:50:00.000-04:00

Here is a delicious frozen concoction I came up with for the husband's latest birthday! Feel free to use your favorite ice cream toppings and mix-ins.

Ingredients

1 package Oreos (I used Nature's Promise organic chocolate cookies)
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1 jar (16 oz) hot fudge
1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened
15 mini Snickers bars (the "fun size")
Caramel sauce to drizzle

Directions

Crush Oreos and mix the crumbs with melted butter in a small bowl.
Pour crumb mixture into bottom of a 9" springform pan, glass casserole dish, or pie plate (one with a lid is best). Press mixture well.
Heat hot fudge until softened. Pour over crust and spread evenly.
Cut Snickers bars into small pieces. Set about 3 bars' worth aside for topping.
In a large bowl, mix Snickers bits into the softened ice cream until well distributed.
Spread ice cream mixture over hot fudge layer.
Top ice cream cake with reserved Snickers bits and drizzle caramel on top (as well as any leftover hot fudge).
Cover tightly and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.

Santa Fe Chicken with Black Bean Salsa

2011-04-11T12:47:00.001-04:00

I had some black bean salsa already made up in the freezer and wondered what I could do with it. Other ingredients on hand were chicken and a can of organic tomato soup. Here's what I came up with (chicken recipe adapted from Campbell's Kitchen, although I didn't use Campbell's tomato soup!). Bill said it's a keeper!

Ingredients

Chicken

1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp chili powder
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins
2 tbsp olive oil
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) Wolfgang Puck organic creamy tomato soup
Seasonings to taste (I used a little garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne, and salt)
1/4 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or Monterey Jack are good)

Black bean salsa (make to your own taste and add whatever you like! Below is what I used.)

1 cup black beans
2 tbsp red bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp red onion, diced
1 tbsp jalapeno, diced (more or less to taste)
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp lime juice (more or less to taste)
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt (more or less to taste)

Directions

Stir the flour and chili powder on a plate. Coat the chicken with the mixture.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides.

Add the soup and desired seasonings to the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, mix black bean salsa ingredients in a medium pot over low heat until heated through.

Top with cheese and black bean salsa and serve over my Cilantro-Lime Rice.

Cilantro-Lime Rice

2011-04-11T12:42:00.000-04:00

Here is a copycat of Chipotle restaurant's delicious cilantro-lime rice. It makes a great base for any meal! I first published this recipe in my Chipotle Burrito Bowl post, but thought it deserved its own placement.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons vegetable oil or butter (I use Organic Valley butter)
1-1/3 cup white, long-grain basmati rice (I use organic)
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt (I use coarse sea salt)
Juice of 1 lime
2 teaspoons fresh chopped cilantro

Directions

In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, heat oil or butter over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted.
Add rice and lime juice, stir for 1 minute.
Add water and salt, bring to a full rolling boil.
At boiling, cover, turn down to simmer over low heat until rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. (If rice looks dry during this time, add more water as needed)
Remove from heat and add in the cilantro and fluff rice with a fork.

White Pizza w/ Homemade Crust

2011-04-02T15:12:00.002-04:00

Wow, it's been a long time since I've added a recipe! Having a baby will do that, I guess. We welcomed our baby girl into our lives back in December and I have barely stepped up to the stove since. But I am sitting here surrounded by the aroma of a freshly made Italian herb pizza dough and felt inspired to share. I slightly modified a dough recipe from All Recipes and a white pizza recipe from the Food Network.

First, the dough (using a bread machine)

Ingredients

1 cup flat beer (I used Miller Lite this time)
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (or mix of oregano, basil, parsley)
1/4 tsp onion powder
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (1 packet)

Directions

Put beer, butter, sugar, salt, flour, and yeast in a bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
Select Dough setting, and press Start. (Mine takes just about 1-1/2 hrs.)
Remove dough from bread machine when cycle is complete. Roll or press dough to cover a prepared pizza pan. Brush lightly with olive oil. Cover and let stand 15 minutes.
**I made this the day before, so at this point, I put the ball of dough in an oil-brushed bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and stored in the fridge overnight.

Now, the white pizza

Ingredients

Garlic-flavored olive oil
1 (1-pound) ball pizza dough (above), thawed and at room temperature
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves, plus more for garnish
Thin-sliced tomato

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Adjust the oven rack to the lower third of the oven.

Brush the pizza pan with oil.

On a work surface, using your hands, press the pizza dough into a large flat disk and transfer it to the greased pan.

Using your fingers, press the dough out until it has stretched to the perimeter of the pan. Create a dough "lip" around the outer edges of the pan.

Brush the entire surface of the dough lightly with garlic oil and pierce the bottom of the crust all over with a fork, to prevent bubbling.

Prebake crust a few minutes, until a very light golden brown.

Evenly spread the mozzarella over the crust.

Using 2 spoons, dollop teaspoon-sized mounds of ricotta evenly over the mozzarella.

Place tomato slices on top.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and evenly sprinkle the chopped oregano over the top.

Bake in the lower third of the oven until the crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly and browning on top, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before garnishing with additional oregano and slicing into 8 pieces.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch! (a.k.a. cinnamon-nut bread with chocolate chips and cinnamon-honey butter)

2011-04-02T09:50:00.002-04:00

I got the itch to play with our bread machine yesterday, but I didn't want just any ol' bread; I wanted something sweet. So I modified the cinnamon raisin bread recipe that came with my machine (the Breadman Pro TR875) to include walnuts and chocolate chips instead.

Cinnamon-Nut Bread with Chocolate Chips
(Makes one 2-lb loaf)

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups warm water
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp milk
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
4 cups flour
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
2-1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
2/3 cup chocolate chips (add at first beep)*

You can use raisins or Craisins instead

Directions

Add ingredients in the order above or the order suggested by your bread machine.
Select "Sweet Bread" cycle (allows you to add sweet mix-ins after the initial mixing/kneading to prevent burning).

Cinnamon-Honey Butter
from All Recipes

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and beat until fluffy. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

Cajun Chicken Noodle Casserole

2010-02-10T13:55:00.000-05:00

This dish was created when I wondered how it would taste to add some spicy chicken to my favorite baked macaroni and cheese recipe. Like that mac & cheese recipe, you can use any blend of cheeses that you like for this one. I used organic or all-natural ingredients where I could.

Ingredients:

1/2 to 3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2 cups once shredded)
Cajun seasonings of choice
6 tablespoons margarine or butter
½ pound elbow macaroni
7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups skim milk
1-1/2 teaspoon salt [ I used McCormick's Nature's Seasons instead]
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne [omit if you want less kick]
3 cups shredded cheese of choice [here, I used a mixture of white sharp cheddar and Italian blend]
1/2 cup shredded cheese of choice for topping (here, I used a mixture of yellow cheddar and Parmesan)
1 cup fine bread crumbs (here, I used 3/4 cup fine bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Panko for extra crunch)
1-1/2 teaspoon Emeril's Essence [use less if you want less kick]

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13" baking dish and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water.
Cook chicken in a skillet over med-high heat. Season both sides with Cajun seasonings, however you desire (I sprinkled each side with some cayenne, Cajun seasoning, and black pepper). Cook until juices run clear.
Place chicken on a cutting board and shred using 2 forks. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a heavy 3-quart pot over medium heat. Add the flour, and stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to let the flour brown.
Using a whisk, add the milk in a steady stream (slowly) and simmer, whisking constantly, until thick and smooth - about 4 minutes.
Remove from the heat. Add the shredded chicken, salt, pepper, cayenne (if desired), and 3 cups shredded cheese and stir well.
Mix in cooked macaroni well. Pour everything into the prepared dish.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese with the bread crumbs and Essence. Sprinkle evenly over the macaroni and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Feta Bruschetta Spread

2009-12-10T14:17:00.002-05:00

This is a recipe that I adapted from a small restaurant called Cafe on Market in Camp Hill, PA (later renamed New Market Bistro and since closed). Bill and I went there for my birthday back in 2004. We ordered this appetizer and had to ask the waitress for the recipe, it was so good! And it's so incredibly simple. Here is my adaptation.

Ingredients:

6 oz crumbled tomato-basil flavored feta cheese
3 oz organic cream cheese
3 oz organic butter, unsalted
Optional: 1 diced tomato for garnish

Directions:

Cream together the feta, butter, and cream cheese.
Scoop into small serving dish and garnish with diced tomatoes (I left the tomatoes out this time).
Serve with garlic bagel chips, mini garlic toast, or crackers.

Cinnamon-Sugar Pecans

2009-12-09T07:52:00.024-05:00

I made these the night before Thanksgiving and they're super easy! They're a great blend of salty + sweet. They also keep well, so they can be made ahead of time or given as gifts. Recipe from AllRecipes.com.

Ingredients

1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 pound pecan halves
1 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy.
In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
Add pecans to egg whites, stir to coat evenly.
Remove pecans and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated.
Spread the nuts out on the greased baking sheet.
Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Pioneer Woman's Creamy Mashed Potatoes

2009-12-08T08:00:00.040-05:00

These are too delicious not to share! The ingredients are very simple and not unlike other mashed potatoes recipes I've followed. But the difference is the method of preparation. I made these the night before Thanksgiving and heated them up in the oven 30 minutes before the big turkey dinner. But they're just as delicious when eaten straight out of the pot!
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks (by Ree Drummond).

(photo from blog NinjaBread)

Ingredients

5 pounds russet or Yukon gold potatoes
1-½ stick butter (plus a few extra pats)
1 package (8 oz.) organic cream cheese, softened
½ cups (to 3/4 cups) light whipping cream
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Peel the potatoes and cut them into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes (more or less depending on size of pieces). When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.
Drain the potatoes in a large colander.
When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove.
Mash the potatoes (with a hand masher, NOT an electric mixer) over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape.
Turn off the stove and add 1-½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about ½ cup of whipping cream. Mash away!
Next, add seasoning salt and black pepper. Stir well. Taste and season more as needed.
Serve now OR place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.

Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.

Tasty Roasted Turkey! Thanksgiving Style

2009-11-28T08:24:00.007-05:00

I hosted Thanksgiving this year for the first time, and got to make my first real turkey! I'd practiced on little 3- or 4-pound turkey breasts in the past, but this is the first time I made the whole bird.

The night before, I brined the turkey using a simple method I found on AllRecipes.com. It involved soaking the guy in a salt-water solution (ratio: 1 cup salt to 2 quarts water). I used a large crockpot for this.

I covered it with a clean, brine-soaked dish towel and some plastic wrap and put it in the fridge over night.

I neglected to get a decent picture of the finished product this time! Things were a little busy on Thanksgiving Day :-) As soon as that bird came out of the oven, he was carved and eaten! But trust me, it was gorgeous - and delicious! Here are some action shots of the carving process (it just fell right off the bone!):

Ingredients

1 (12-pound) whole turkey
6 tablespoons butter, divided
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 tablespoons seasoning salt
1 tablespoon black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse and wash turkey. Discard the giblets, or add to pan if they are anyone's favorites.**I washed the turkey and removed the gross stuff the night before, prior to brining. Then when I was ready to roast the turkey, I removed it from the brine solution and rinsed it all off again**
Separate the skin over the breast to make little pockets. Put 3 tablespoons of the butter on both sides between the skin and breast meat. This makes for very juicy breast meat!
Brush top of turkey with olive oil and season with a little pepper, paprika and herbs of choice (no need to use salt, thanks to the brine!).
Stuff bird now, if desired.
Carefully place turkey in prepared (i.e., flour-shaken) roasting bag and set in roasting pan. Don't seal bag yet.
In a medium bowl, combine the broth with the parsley and minced onion. Pour over the top of the turkey.
Add some veggies (I used baby carrots and a few chopped potatoes) for flavor.
Seal bag according to instructions on package (and don't forget to cut the slits across the top!).
Bake in the preheated oven according to instructions on roasting bag package (mine took about 2-1/2 hours), until internal temperature of the turkey reaches 180 degrees F. **Do not overcook! Turkey begins to get tough/dry after it gets past 180 degrees. I learned this on the Discovery Channel the night before Thanksgiving!**

Allow turkey to cool at least 30 minutes before carving. Be sure to get all the leftover meat off the bones and refrigerated in an airtight container no later than 2 hours after cooking.

Also, as we discovered the "hard way" - if you plan to make fresh gravy from the pan drippings (or, bag drippings), it's a good idea to taste as you go and you will probably need to cut in some water. The drippings became very salty due to the brine preparation, making for potentially sodium-packed gravy.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Slow-Cooker Meatloaf

2009-10-18T17:16:00.000-04:00

I attempted meatloaf a couple years ago and it, well, wasn't great. I got up the nerve to try it again today and I give this version an A+! It is adapted from this allrecipes.com recipe (I added a lot more seasoning, as reflected below).

Ingredients

2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs (I used Italian Panko)
2 tsp minced onion
1 tsp salt or seasoning salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 lb ground sirloin or turkey
1/2 cup ketchup (I used organic)
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp ground mustard powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well (mixture will be moist.)
Shape into a round loaf and place in a 5-qt. slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours (I cooked on high for 3 hours) or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F.
In a small bowl, whisk the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard powder and Worcestershire sauce until well blended.
Spoon over the meat loaf. Cook 15 minutes longer or until heated through.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

2009-10-18T16:53:00.002-04:00

Kind of like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Slightly crunchier (due to the graham cracker crumbs). Very easy!

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups confectioners sugar
1-1/2 cups peanut butter
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
4 tbsp peanut butter

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners sugar, and 1-1/2 cups peanut butter until well blended.
Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13" pan.
In the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the remaining 4 tbsp peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth (I did this in 45-second intervals, stirring between).
Spread over the prepared crust.
Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

Chicken Paprikash

2009-10-07T20:07:00.006-04:00

Our little Hungarian meal...

This is one of those dishes that I never use a recipe for and that I really don't know how to explain. My grandma gave me her best attempt at a recipe for this a couple years ago - and now, like her, I just kind of eyeball it, taste as I go, and basically just wing it.

It's really best when you just don't think too hard about it and make it your own. So please allow me to be a little vague this time...

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
Paprika. Lots and lots of paprika. Hungarian paprika is best.
Minced onion
Minced garlic
Low-sodium chicken broth
Chicken bouillon cubes (if needed)
Black pepper
Salt, if needed (or seasoning salt)
**Optional: 1 cup sour cream** (my family has always made it without)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup water (more or less as needed)
1 large egg

Directions

Start a large pot of water boiling for nokedli (Hungarian dumplings, aka spaetzel, aka halushka noodles).
Meanwhile, cut chicken into bite-size pieces and brown in a large/deep skillet (or a medium sauce pan). Season with some paprika, black pepper, and the onion and garlic. Cook until browned.
Add about 3-4 cups of chicken broth (or water + bouillon) - be sure to scrape browned chicken bits off bottom of the pan. mmm!
Stir in about 4-5 tsp paprika, and more seasonings according to taste.
Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes or so - tasting as you go.
While chicken-paprika mixture is simmering, prepare nokedli: Combine flour, egg, and water until you have a pancake-batter-like mixture (add flour and/or water until you get the right consistency).
With an oversized spoon, scoop up some dough, hold it over the large pot of boiling water, and use a butter knife to "cut" off pieces of dough - letting them drop into the boiling water. Make them as large or small as you like.

Note: I have a handy little spaetzel grater that will do this more quickly, but I always end up burning my wrist from holding it over the steam for so long!
Once all of the nokedli are in the pot, wait for them to rise to the top and float - cook another 2-3 minutes and then drain them into a collander.
Return the nokedli to the (now-empty) pot, away from heat. Add a little butter, salt, and pepper if you like.
Carefully pour the chicken-paprika mixture (which will be quite soupy) into the pot over the nokedli. **If you are using sour cream, mix it in with the chicken sauce before pouring over nokedli.**

Stir well. Let this sit for a few minutes so that the nokedli absorb the liquid.
Serve in bowls with spoons...and bread for dipping!

So good!

Mongolian Beef

2009-10-04T13:15:00.005-04:00

A yummy P.F. Chang's copy-cat recipe (adapted from recipezaar.com)

Ingredients:

2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp ginger, minced
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium organic soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup toasted sesame oil
1 lb flank steak
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 large green onions

Directions:

Make the sauce by heating 2 tsp oil in a medium saucepan over med/low heat (don't let oil get too hot).
Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches.
Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to about medium and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove it from the heat.
Slice the flank steak against the grain. Tilt the blade of your knife at about a forty five degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts.
Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef (or combine all in Ziplock bag and do it "Shake-n-Bake" style). Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks.
As the beef sits, heat up 1/2 cup oil in a wok (you may also use a deep skillet for this step as long as the beef will be mostly covered with oil). Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking.
Add the beef to the oil and sauté for just two minutes, or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges. You don't need a thorough cooking here since the beef is going to go back on the heat later.
Use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour the oil out of the wok or skillet.
Put the pan back over the heat, add the meat back into it and simmer for one minute.
Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring.
Add green onions and cook one more minute.
Serve over cooked white or brown rice (I like using Basmati rice).

Chicken & Cheese Shells in a Tomato-Cream Sauce

2009-10-04T12:55:00.001-04:00

Hybrid shells! I combined your basic Italian cheese-stuffed shells (with marinara) with our family's favorite chicken-stuffed shells recipe (leaving out the stuffing and gravy, of course) and came up with this interesting - and tasty - hybrid. Please bare with me - it's definitely a work in progress!

Ingredients:

12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, boiled
1 1/4 cups organic mozzarella cheese, shredded (Reserve 1/4 cup)
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
15 oz organic ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 tsp dried oregano
8 ounces spaghetti sauce (jarred or homemade - I used Prego organic tomato-basil)
8 ounces light whipping cream
1/4 cup fresh shredded Parmesan
fresh basil, chopped, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 375-degrees F.
In an 8 quart pot, bring water to a boil and cook shells for 8 minutes or until al dente.
Drain and cool immediately with cold water. Place open-side-down on paper towels.
In food processor, chop cooked chicken finely
In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped chicken, ricotta, mozzarella (all but 1/4 cup), Parmesan, eggs, black pepper, garlic, parsley, and oregano. Mix well.
In a small bowl, blend together spaghetti sauce and cream.
Place a thin layer of spaghetti-cream sauce into the bottom of a 9x13" glass baking dish.
Spoon the cheese-chicken mixture into each pasta shell and place open side up, in a single layer, in prepared pan.
Pour the rest of sauce over the stuffed shells.
Loosely cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
Remove foil and sprinkle remaining Mozzarella and fresh shredded Parmesan cheese on top. Return to oven and bake 5-10 more minutes, until cheese is melted.

Note: I also drizzled some extra spaghetti sauce on top before baking

Beef Stroganoff

2009-10-04T11:54:00.000-04:00

A favorite of ours - and easy! I don't like mushrooms, so I cook them separately for this recipe. Another option is to mix them in with the beef and onions to cook everything together.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless beef sirloin
1 cup organic, fat-free sour cream
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup water
2 tsp instant beef bouillon granules (I use organic beef base)
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 Tbsp organic butter
1-1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green onion (including bulbs)
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups wide egg noodles (cooked according to directions on bag)

Directions:

Mix sour cream and flour in a small bowl.
Stir in water, bouillon, and pepper. Set aside.
In a small skillet, cook mushrooms over medium heat (I usually add some black pepper and a splash of Worcestershire sauce).
Slice steak into strips.
Melt butter in a large, deep skillet on medium-high heat. Add steak and onion (I always season with some garlic powder, black pepper, and seasoning salt, too) and cook until steak is cooked through. Reduce heat to medium.
Add sour cream mixture and cook until bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Slowly add cooked noodles to the skillet and toss until well blended.
Top with cooked mushrooms (if desired).

Cheddar-Swiss Fondue

2009-10-04T11:27:00.000-04:00

We started a tradition of going to the Melting Pot for Valentine's Day a couple years ago. Our favorite cheese course is their Cheddar Cheese Fondue. I found a copy-cat recipe on grouprecipes.com and gave it a shot at home. It turned as good as the real thing!

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp black pepper
12 oz beer (I like to use a lager or something dark)
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese
8 oz Emmentaler (Swiss) cheese
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp mustard powder

Directions

Shred cheeses
Place cheese blend in a Ziplock bag. Add cornstarch and shake until cheese is well-coated (this prevents the cheddar from getting stringy and oily. You can use flour instead of cornstarch, too).
Start fondue pot (use manufacturer's instructions for appropriate heat setting).
Pour beer slowly into pot (beer will start to steam).
Add Worcestershire sauce, garlic, mustard powder, and pepper; mix well with wooden spoon. Allow liquid to begin to boil.
Add cheese in small batches, stirring constantly until all cheese is melted.
Serve with chunks of bread, veggies, and apples

Cranberry, Walnut, & Feta Salad

2009-10-04T10:20:00.004-04:00

This recipe was initially combined with my Tomato-Basil Soup recipe (January 2008), but I decided to give it its own entry.

We tried this salad at a holiday party and I fell in love. I've never been a fan of fruit in my salad, but you really have to try this - it's out of this world!

Ingredients :
Salad -

2 cups mixed salad greens (I used baby spinach and romaine)
1 cup dried sweetened cranberries (Craisins work, too)
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese (plain or flavored)
1/2 cup walnut pieces (toasted if desired; I did not toast them)

Dressing -

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

Combine greens, cranberries, feta, and walnuts in large bowl.
Mix vinegar, honey, mustard, and pepper with wire whisk until well blended.
Gradually add oil, whisking constantly until well blended.
Pour over salad; toss to coat.
Serve immediately.

Baked Taco Dip

2009-10-03T15:01:00.005-04:00

I wanted to try something new to munch on while watching the PSU-Illinois game today. My original plan was to make a baked chili dip...alas, I ran out of chili powder. So I decided to make a baked taco dip, instead. And because I use natural or organic ingredients whenever possible, it's not TOO unhealthy :-)

I didn't have a recipe to follow, so I just kind of made it up as I went. I hope it's good!
**This can be served cold without baking, too.**

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey (all-natural; you could use ground beef instead, of course)
6 tbsp taco seasoning (recipe here; or 1 packet store-bought)
3/4 cup water
8 oz cream cheese (I used Nature's Promise organic), softened
4 oz sour cream (also organic)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried cilantro
2 green onions, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
2 cups shredded Mexican Blend cheese (used Kraft all-natural)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F
Brown ground meat in a skillet; drain when done.
Add taco seasoning and water to pan; mix and simmer 3-5 minutes.
Mix cream cheese, sour cream, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, cilantro, and green onions until blended (I use an electric hand-mixer to get all of the lumps out).
Spread cream cheese mixture into bottom of an 8x8" glass casserole dish.
Layer seasoned meat on top of cream cheese mixture. Spread evenly.
Layer shredded cheese on top.
Sprinkle with extra green onion as garnish.
Bake 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve hot with crackers, Tostitos Scoops, or cornchips.

*Optional add-ins (add as layers): Salsa, fresh tomatoes, black beans, refried beans, corn, olives....whatever you like!

Taco Seasoning

2009-10-03T14:31:00.004-04:00

I try to keep our sodium intake to a minimum - and I also like to avoid processed foods and preservatives. So I've started making my own sauces, dips, and mixed seasonings.

Homemade Taco Seasoning
("Taco Seasoning I" on allrecipes.com)

Mix together the following and store in an airtight container. Use 3 tablespoons of prepared seasoning per 1 pounds ground beef (more or less to taste).

2 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Homemade Basil Pesto

2009-10-03T10:55:00.002-04:00

Ingredients:

2 cups packed home-grown basil (or fresh as you can get)
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, cooled
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese or Romano cheese (either, or both)
3 cloves crushed garlic
1/4-1/2 cup EVOO, depending on how creamy you want it (I used 1/4 cup)

Directions:

Put first 4 ingredients into a food processor.
Pulse to blend.
Slowly add oil through feed tube to make a nice paste.

All-Natural Buffalo Wing Sauce

2009-10-03T10:45:00.002-04:00

I use this in my All-Natural Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe (January 2009). My next challenge will be to make the hot sauce itself from scratch!

Ingredients:

1 cup preservative-free hot sauce (Frank's Red Hot contains no preservatives, so this is what I use)
1/2 cup organic butter, melted (unsalted is best)

Directions:

Mix butter and hot sauce. Done. It's that easy. Really.

Honey Mustard Dip

2009-10-02T10:58:00.001-04:00

Great with my Nittany Chicken Bites (aka, the sophisticated chicken nuggets)

Ingredients:

1 cup mayo
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp coarse-ground mustard
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 squeeze yellow mustard

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a small mixing bowl
Blend with a whisk until mixed thoroughly
Chill before serving

Balsamic-Dijon Salad Dressing

2009-10-02T10:36:00.001-04:00

This dressing goes well with Cranberry, Walnut, & Feta salad.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

Mix vinegar, honey, mustard, and pepper with wire whisk until well blended.
Gradually add oil, whisking constantly until well blended.

Baked Garlic-Parmesan Asparagus Spears

2009-10-01T13:26:00.000-04:00

(adapted from "asparagus with Parmesan crust" on allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

15-20 thin asparagus spears
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (I used Gazebo's Lite Greek Dressing, see photo)
1 ounce shaved Parmesan cheese
Sprinkle of minced garlic
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Wash and snap asparagus.
Place asparagus on a baking sheet, in a single layer (I cover sheet in foil to avoid a mess).
Drizzle with olive oil (or dressing).
Sprinkle with minced garlic and Parmesan cheese, and season with freshly ground black pepper.
Bake 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven (perhaps longer for thicker spears), until cheese is melted and asparagus is tender but crisp. Serve immediately.

Garam Masala

2009-10-01T10:51:00.001-04:00

A delicious Indian spice. This recipe worked for me when I wanted to make my Chicken Tikka Masala recipe and couldn't find garam masala in my grocery store.

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp crumbled bay leaves
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Directions:

Mix all ingredients until well blended
Store in an air-tight container

A Spicy Salsa (or Sauce)

2009-10-01T10:41:00.001-04:00

Originally posted as part of my Chipotle Burrito Bols recipe (March 2009).

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can whole tomatoes
1 garlic clove, diced
1 tablespoon onion, diced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (more or less for desired spice)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Drain and discard about half the juice from the can of tomatoes.
Place all ingredients in a food processor or a blender and pulse until well mixed.
Blend more for a smooth salsa; less if you prefer chunky.
Taste test: I add more cayenne, lime, and cumin until I get the desired spice level and flavor.

Back at it...Stuffed Peppers and Cornbread

2009-09-29T19:39:00.008-04:00

Ingredients

4 green bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 pound ground turkey
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
1-1/2 cup water
15 oz spaghetti sauce (I used Organic Ragu Traditional)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded cheddar (I used a cheddar-jack mix)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/2 tsp ground corriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400-degrees F
Mix rice, water, and garlic in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, brown the meat in a skillet; drain; remove from heat.
Mix spices, sauce, cheese, and cooked rice in with the meat.
Spoon mixture into pepper halves and line them in a baking dish (I coated my dish with oil first).
Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and top the peppers with shredded cheddar. Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Note: We like the peppers on the crisp side. If you prefer them softer, blanch the peppers first or increase the baking time until they are the desired consistency.

I served these with a side of cornbread (recipe here).

Do You Like Chipotle Burrito Bols?

2009-03-14T09:22:00.010-04:00

From Chipotle.com

We do! But my question is, "Bol" or "Bowl"?? Regardless of how it is spelled, this burrito thing is quite delicious.

It took some experimentation but I think I've pieced together a pretty good "copycat" version. Bill and I both like the Tomatillo Red-Chili Salsa (the hottest salsa, which is smooth rather than chunky), and that's the one thing I'm having trouble recreating. So I've temporarily given up on trying to mimic it and instead I found a sauce that tastes different but just as good. You can top the Bol with a salsa/sauce of your choice.

The good news is that I've got the Cilantro-Lime Rice down pat!

Burritos in a Bowl

The Salsa (hot)
Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can whole tomatoes
1 garlic clove, diced
1 tablespoon onion, diced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (more or less for desired spice)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Drain and discard about half the juice from the can of tomatoes.
Place all ingredients in a food processor or a blender and pulse until well mixed.
Blend more for a smooth salsa and less for a chunkier.
Taste test: I add more cayenne, lime, and cumin until I get the desired spice level and flavor.

The Meat
Ingredients*

2 dried ancho chiles
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano
6 cloves garlic
1/2 red onion, quartered
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or steak (I use all-natural chicken)

Directions

Soak dry chilis overnight in water, until soft. Remove seeds.
Add all ingredients except meat in food processor; puree until smooth.
Slice chicken or steak into strips or bitesize chunks.
Spread sauce over meat and refrigerate at least one hour, up to 24 hours.
After meat has been marinated, heat grill (or heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet or grill pan over high heat). Add meat to grill/pan and cook through. Season meat if desired (I add some extra black pepper and cumin).

*This is the "copycat" meat recipe from ChipotleFan.com, but I actually just marinate the meat in the salsa and add some extra seasonings while cooking.

The Rice
Ingredients

2 teaspoons vegetable oil or butter (I use Organic Valley butter)
1-1/3 cup white, long-grain basmati rice (I use organic)
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt (I use coarse sea salt)
Juice of 1 lime
2 teaspoons fresh chopped cilantro

Directions

In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, heat oil or butter over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted.
Add rice and lime juice, stir for 1 minute.
Add water and salt, bring to a full rolling boil.
At boiling, cover, turn down to simmer over low heat until rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. (If rice looks dry during this time, add more water as needed)
Remove from heat and add in the cilantro and fluff rice with a fork.

The Toppings

Black beans or pinto beans (you can buy them pre-seasoned or plain; heat over the stove until warmed through)
Cheese (Chipotle uses finely shredded blend of Monterary jack and white cheddar - I use Organic Valley cheeses)
Lettuce (Chipotle uses shredded Romaine)
Sour cream (I use Organic Valley brand)
Guacamole

Then...Build your Bol!

Start with the rice:

Then add the beans (I leave these out; Bill likes black beans in his):

Next comes the meat:

And then add your salsa and toppings:

Enjoy!

Pad Thai - two tries

2009-01-27T20:45:00.001-05:00

My most recent challenge has been trying to perfect my Pad Thai - which is kind of hard to do, considering I had never tasted it before! Bill has had it a few times and asked me to try it, so I've had to rely on him to tell me when it starts tasting authentic.

I used the same recipe both times, but my first time was a bit of a failure because I couldn't find one of the key ingredients - tamarind pulp. Our grocery store (Harris Teeter) has a great ethnic foods selection, so I was surprised when I came up empty. So I bailed and cheated....I bought prepared Pad Thai sauce (gasp!). Not that that made it much easier of a meal to prepare - there was still a lot of work involved! I also ended up getting the wrong kind of rice noodles (according to how Bill has had it in restaurants).
I thought it tasted pretty good, but it was definitely lacking something. I blamed it on the jarred sauce.

My second attempt went much better. I looked up substitutions for tamarind pulp and discovered you can actually just use some fresh-squeezed lime instead. I have limes - I can do that! So I made the sauce from scratch this time and it was so much more flavorful. I also went by Bill's suggestion and got wide rice noodles.

So here is my recipe for Pad Thai, with notes from both attempts.
(Adapted from Sukhothai Pad Thai, allrecipes.com)

Pad Thai with Chicken - times two

Ingredients

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar (I used rice wine vinegar)
1/4 cup soy sauce (I substituted fish oil for half of this, for a more authentic taste)
1 to 2 teaspoons chili paste (more or less to taste)
2 tablespoons tamarind pulp (or fresh-squeezed lime)
1 (8 ounce) package dried rice noodles (wide noodles or "sticks")
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used toasted sesame oil)
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
4 eggs (yes, really!)
1 (12 ounce) package firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch strips (I used chicken...the 1st time, I cut it into strips but we preferred it as tiny chopped-up pieces like I used the 2nd time. I hear this is good with shrimp, too)
1-1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 cups ground peanuts (I put them in my Cuisinart for about 15 seconds)
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives (I used chives the 1st time and green onion the 2nd time)
1 tablespoon paprika (I used chili powder instead)
1 cup fresh bean sprouts (more or less to taste)
Cilantro to taste

Directions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, make Pad Thai sauce: blend sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, chili paste, and tamarind pulp until it begins to boil. Simmer on low until needed, whisking frequently.
Soak rice noodles in cold water until soft; drain (or prepare according to "stir fry directions" on package....they need to be slightly undercooked so that they don't end up mushy when adding to the dish).
In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, cook meat thoroughly (I seasoned mine with some ginger powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and a splash of soy sauce). Remove from pan and set aside.
Warm oil in the wok/skillet and add garlic and eggs; scramble the eggs. Add tofu or pre-cooked meat and stir until well mixed.
Mix in noodles and bean sprouts and stir until cooked.
Stir in Pad Thai sauce, 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, ground peanuts, chives, cilantro, and paprika.

And there it is! Maybe one day I'll order Pad Thai in a restaurant and see if I'm missing anything...

Garlic Croutons

2009-01-27T20:16:00.004-05:00

I got made fun of a bit for this one....I mean, isn't salad supposed to be simple? :-)

I've had trouble finding non-processed croutons...I did find an organic, whole wheat variety, but honestly, they sucked. So I decided to make them myself. They're very easy! And I mean, what else are you going to do with that stale bread??

Garlic Croutons

Ingredients

Stale bread (I used 3 hoagie rolls that had been in my fridge for a couple weeks. The staler, the better....just make sure it hasn't gone moldy!)
4 tablespoons butter (I use organic butter. For my 3 rolls, I actually needed a full stick of butter)
1 clove minced garlic (I used garlic powder instead)
Herbs of choice (I used parsley and Italian seasonings)

Directions

Cut bread into small cubes
Melt butter in large skillet; add garlic + herbs
Add bread cubes to skillet and toss until well coated; cook on medium for about 1 minute (I had to do 2 batches, each with 4 tbsp butter).
Spread bread onto baking sheet (lined with foil so you don't have to clean the pan!).
Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes - turning croutons frequently to avoid burning and to ensure even baking.

Put unused croutons in an airtight container or bag and store in pantry. I plan to keep adding to my supply every time I have some bread to use up, so that I always have some on hand for a quick salad.

New Year's Day Pork & Sauerkraut!

2009-01-27T19:55:00.003-05:00

You know what they say....pork & kraut on New Year's Day will bring you good luck all year long. This year I made a pork tenderloin and sauerkraut in the slow cooker, and threw in some kielbasa for good measure. I decided to go the easy route on this one....simple ingredients.

What I learned: The 3-pound tenderloin I bought was actually two tenderloins! I did not realize this (I'm a tenderloin newbie, apparently) until it was cooked and started to split down the middle. I think one would have been plenty....now I know!

Slow Cooker Pork, Sauerkraut, and Kielbasa

Ingredients:

3-lb pork tenderloin
2 tbsp olive oil
McCormick's cracked peppercorn roasting rub (See? Easy!)
1 large can sauerkraut
8 oz beer (I used Sam Adams Winter Lager -- 6 oz for the slow cooker and 2 oz for frying up the kielbasa)
1 pound low-fat pork kielbasa

Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet.
Coat tenderloin with seasoning rub.
Sear tenderloin, until browned on all sides.
Pour sauerkraut into slow cooker, add 6 oz beer.
Place tenderloin on bed of kraut (add more seasoning if some was lost in the skillet).
Cook on high for 3-4 hours (or low for 6-8 hours....cook until internal temperature of meat is at least 160 degrees F - I love my digital meat thermometer!).
At some point while pork is cooking, slice kielbasa into 1-inch chunks and cook in skillet with approx 2 oz beer (more if you'd like).
Once heated through and browned, add kielbasa to slow cooker for remainder of cook time.

Party Pretzels

2009-01-09T16:17:00.006-05:00

I really had no idea what to call these because I've only ever heard them called "those pretzel-chocolate-M&M thingies". So I'm calling them Party Pretzels. I've made them for Halloween using orange and brown M&Ms and I've seen them at baby showers (baby blue and light pink M&Ms), bridal showers (in the wedding colors), and football parties (in team colors). Such a versatile little snack!

On top of that, they're incredibly simple....and the perfect blend of sweet and salty.

Party Pretzels

Ingredients

Mini pretzels (rounds, windowpanes, buttersnaps, etc)
Chocolate disks (I used Wilton Candy Melts, which you can get in various colors/flavors - I stocked up on milk chocolate, dark chocolate, peanut butter, strawberry, and vanilla)
M&Ms - colors of your choice (I used the Valentine's mix for this batch, but pulled out the red since I was going with a pink and white theme).

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F
Separate the M&Ms by color (if you're going with a color theme); do this beforehand so that you're not rushing to pull out the color you need later (the chocolate might harden quickly).
Line baking sheet with wax paper
Spread out pretzels on sheet, removing any broken pieces
Center a chocolate disk on each pretzel
Heat in oven for 4-7 minutes (until the chocolate is soft enough to push an M&M into it, but not so soft that it melts all over the place)
Remove baking sheet from oven and press an M&M into each piece (I put the "m" side down; if you have specially printed M&Ms, put the words facing up)
Put in refrigerator for a few hours, until chocolate is solid. Store in airtight container or Ziplock in a cool place (I keep mine in the fridge).

Green Iced Tea

2009-01-05T20:16:00.007-05:00

Bill's favorite drink lately has been Arizona Green Iced Tea, so I came up with a way to make it at home. I usually make him 2-3 gallons a week!

Note: It's not really a precise art. I just kind of mix it up and adjust it as needed. My apologies for the lack of exact measurements...

Green Iced Tea

Ingredients

16 Lipton Green Tea bags (I sometimes use Organic)
4-4.5 quarts water in a large pot (some will evaporate)
1-1.5 cups sugar, to taste
10-12 "counts" of honey, to taste
5-10 "counts" of lemon juice, to taste

Directions

Boil water; remove from heat and add tea bags.
Allow to steep for 30-60 minutes (the longer, the stronger)
Remove tea bags.
In a 4-quart pitcher, add sugar, lemon juice, and honey (for honey and lemon juice, I just pour while I count to 10).
Carefully pour hot tea into pitcher; mix with ladle or wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved.
Refrigerate until chilled.

Serve with ice.

Pittsburgh Pierogies!

2009-01-05T19:50:00.003-05:00

I got a pasta maker attachment for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer for Christmas and, of course, I couldn't wait to make homemade pierogies! Pierogies have been one of my favorite foods since I was a kid - I'd literally eat them by the dozen when I was a teenager. We'd eat them on Fridays during Lent, serve them for Steelers parties, and sautee some whenever we got the craving. I first convinced Bill to try them when we were at Fathead's in Pittsburgh with my parents, after a Pens game. He was hooked, too. Shamefully, I have only made frozen, storebought pierogies until now; so it's time to challenge myself to make the real thing.

Here is a recipe I found on Pittsburgh.about.com:

Homemade Potato & Cheddar Pierogies

Note: I doubled the recipe below so that I would have some to freeze for later. For a double recipe, I used a total of 8 large russet potatoes. I definitely have a lot of potato mixture left over, too.

Yield will depend on how thin you roll the dough out and what size you make. I was able to make 3 dozen with a double recipe.

Potato, Cheese & Onion Filling
Ingredients

5-6 large potatoes
1/2 large onion
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
butter for sauteeing onion

Directions

Peel and boil potatoes until soft.
While the potatoes are boiling, finely chop onion and saute in butter until soft and translucent. [I prefer to skip the onions in the mixture, just using potatoes and cheese]
Mash the potatoes with the sauted onions and cheese, adding salt and pepper to taste.
You can also add some fresh parsley, bacon bits, or other enhancements if you desire.
Let the potato mixture cool and then form into 1" balls.

_______________

Pierogi Dough
Ingredients

2 cups flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling dough
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup sour cream, plus extra to serve with the pierogi
1/4 cup butter, softened and cut into small pieces
butter and onions for sauteing
filling of your choice (potato & cheese filling recipe below)

Directions

Mix together the flour and salt.
Beat the egg, then add all at once to the flour mixture.
Add the 1/2 cup sour cream and the softened butter pieces and work until the dough loses most of its stickiness (about 5-7 minutes). You can use a food processor with a dough hook for this, but be careful not to overbeat.
Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or overnight; the dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

_______________

Pierogi Preparation

Roll the pierogi dough on a floured board or countertop until 1/8" thick.**I used my Kitchenaid Pasta Roller tool, starting at setting 1 and working up to setting 4:
Cut circles of dough (2" for small pierogies and 3-3 1/2" for large pierogies) with a cookie cutter or drinking glass. **I used a large plastic tumbler**
Place a small ball of filling on each dough round and fold the dough over, forming a semi-circle.
Press the edges together with the tines of a fork.**I tried this but ended up pressing the edges together with my fingers, like you do to decorate a pie crust.**
Boil the perogies a few at a time in a large pot of water. They are done when they float to the top (about 8-10 minutes).
Rinse in cool water and let dry.
Saute chopped onions in butter in a large pan until onions are soft.
Add pierogies and pan fry until lightly crispy.

Serve with a side of sour cream for a true Pittsburgh pierogi meal.

_______________

Homemade Pierogi Tips

If you are having a hard time getting the edges to stick together, you may have too much flour in the dough. Add a little water to help get a good seal.
If you don't want to cook all of the pierogies right away, you can refrigerate them (uncooked) for several days or freeze them for up to several months.
You can fill pierogies with pretty much anything you want, though potato and cheese is the most common.

Triple Chocolate Ice Cream (KA Stand Mixer)

2009-01-04T17:53:00.012-05:00

Another fun Christmas gift I got was the KitchenAid stand mixer ice cream attachment. I'm a total ice cream addict, so it didn't take me long to try this new gadget out!

Triple Chocolate Ice Cream
(recipe courtesy of KitchenAid ice cream maker manual. I adjusted the fat content to suit my taste...original recipe calls for heavy whipping cream instead of light cream, and half-and-half instead of fat-free milk. I also halved the original recipe here)

Ingredients

1 cup light cream, divided (1/4 cup and 3/4 cup)
1 (1 ounce) semi-sweet chocolate baking square, cut into chunks (I used 1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate chips)
1 (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate square, cut into chunks (I used 1 ounce Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips)
1 cup fat-free milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/6 cup cocoa powder
4 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla
pinch salt
3 ounces chopped milk chocolate (I used more Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips)

Directions

Freeze Kitchenaid Ice Cream freezer bowl for at least 15 hours before starting this recipe.
In small saucepan, place 1/4 cup whipping cream, semisweet and unsweetened chocolate chips.
Heat over medium-low heat until chocolate melts, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat; set aside.
In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat milk until very hot but not boiling, stirring often. Remove from heat; set aside.
In small bowl, combine sugar and cocoa powder; set aside.
Place egg yolks in Kitchenaid mixer bowl and beat with wire whisk attachment.
Gradually add sugar mixture into beaten eggs and continue to mix about 30 seconds or until well blended and slightly thickened.
Very gradually add melted chocolate mixture and the heated milk; allow to mix until well blended.
Pour this mixture into a medium saucepan; stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until small bubbles form around edge and mixture is steamy. Do not boil.
Transfer mixture into a large bowl (NOT the KA ice cream freezer bowl); stir in remaining 3/4 cup light cream, vanilla, and salt.
Cover and chill thoroughly, at least 8 hours (I chilled mine in the freezer for 2 hours).
Wait until mixture is completely cooled; remove from fridge/freezer and then remove ice cream freezer bowl from freezer. Follow manufacturer's instructions for assembling freezer bowl to the stand mixer.

**The goal is to allow the freezer bowl to sit out for as short a time as possible, as it begins to thaw immediately.**
Put the mixture into your ice cream maker and set to setting "2"; allow to churn for about 20 minutes. Mixture will grow in volume as it is churned.
During the last 1-2 minutes, add in the milk chocolate chunks (or any other mix-ins).
Immediately transfer ice cream into serving dishes or freeze in airtight container.
NOTE: KA ice cream maker tends to make "soft serve" consistency:
The KA manual says to put ice cream in an airtight container and allow to sit in the freezer for a couple more hours for firm consistency.

Buffalo Chicken Dip: All-Natural Version

2009-01-04T16:46:00.013-05:00

So, in following with my attempt to cut processed foods out of my diet, I've played around with my Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe to make it more natural. Using all-natural or organic ingredients can be more expensive and slightly more work, but I personally think the taste and the health benefits are worth it.

Note: Frank's Red Hot website claims that their Buffalo sauce can be substituted with a mixture of hot sauce (Red Hot) + butter. Their Buffalo sauce contains preservatives while their hot sauce does not, so this is what I do.

All-Natural Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients*

4 cups boiled, shredded all-natural chicken breasts (boneless/skinless)
1 cup Frank's Red Hot
1/2 cup melted organic butter
16 oz organic cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup organic sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup all-natural cheddar cheese, shredded (Kraft makes all-natural cheeses)

*Obviously, you can use non-natural/organic ingredients instead!

Directions

In a large bowl, blend hot sauce, melted butter, sour cream, buttermilk, and seasonings.
Add shredded chicken and 1/2 cup of cheese; mix well.
Pour into 8x8" casserole dish, top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese, and bake for 25-35 minutes at 400 degrees F (until cheese is bubbly),
...OR...
Pour mixture into a small slow cooker and cook on high about 1 to 1-1/2 hours, or until bubbly and browning. Keep in slow cooker on low heat to keep dip hot while serving.

Serve with Tostitos Scoops!

Spicy!! Cajun Chicken Pasta w/ Homemade Fettuccine

2009-01-04T16:43:00.002-05:00

Bill and I enjoy spicy food, so I tweaked my Creamy Chicken Alfredo recipe a bit. Note that this version is a little more natural as well.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

1 lb fresh fettuccine (see recipe below)
2 cups light cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon crushed fresh red pepper flakes
1 cup chopped green onion
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 lb grilled Cajun chicken (see recipe below)
3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
Meanwhile, pour cream into large skillet. Cook over med. heat, stirring constantly, until just boiling.
Reduce heat, add herbs,seasoning,and veg's.
Simmer 8 minutes, or until thickened.
Stir in grilled chicken.
Stir in cheeses, blending well.
Drain pasta, top with sauce and chicken.

NOTE: You can make this less spicy by omitting red pepper flakes.

Grilled Cajun Chicken

Ingredients

1/4 teaspoons white pepper
1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/4teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in strips

Directions

Mix spices together until well blended
Toss chicken strips in seasoning until well coated
Grill chicken until cooked through

Homemade Fettuccine Noodles
(this is the Light Wheat Pasta recipe that comes in the Kitchen Aid Pasta Roller manual. Other recipes in the manual include Basic Egg Pasta, Semolina Egg Pasta, and Whole Wheat Pasta)

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups sifted whole wheat flour
1 cup sifted bread or unbleached flour
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Place whole wheat flour, bread flour, eggs, water, and salt in mixer bowl.
Attach bowl and flat beater. Turn to Speed 2 and mix 30 seconds.
Exchange flat beater for dough hook. Turn to Speed 2 and knead 2 minutes.
Remove dough from bowl and hand knead for 1 to 2 minutes.
Divide dough into eight pieces before processing with Pasta Sheet Roller attachment.
Follow manufacturer's instructions for using pasta roller and cutter attachments **I ran each sheet of pasta dough through the roller about 5 times - starting on setting 1 and finishing at setting 5 before using the fettuccine cutter**
Add 2 teaspoons salt and 1 tablespoon oil (optional) to 6 quarts boiling water.
Gradually add pasta and continue to cook at a boil until pasta is “al dente” or slightly firm to the bite (I cooked the fettuccine noodles for 5 minutes).
Pasta floats to the top of the water while cooking, so stir occasionally to keep it cooking evenly.
Drain in a colander.

Ranch Dressing (or Dip)

2009-01-04T15:18:00.014-05:00

As much as I love ranch dressing from a restaurant, I haven't come across any that I like in the grocery store. I've tried all the name brands, the generics, the store brands, and even the lesser known (and more expensive) all-natural and organic varieties. But nothing quite tastes right to me. I thought about trying to make my own, and because I try to avoid preservatives and unnatural ingredients, I didn't want to make it from a packet.
So I found a well-rated recipe on allrecipes.com ("Ranch Dressing II") and found it to be both incredibly easy and very yummy! I've adapted it to my taste (I use sour cream in place of mayo).

Ranch Dressing

Ingredients

3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon salt (I used seasoning salt instead)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

In a large bowl, add all ingredients.
Whisk till well mixed and smooth.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Chicken Tikka Masala and Garlic Naan

2009-01-04T14:36:00.001-05:00

My first attempt at Indian food! This is my favorite Indian meal...the naan could use some work but I think the chicken tasted great!

Tikka Masala

Ingredients

Marinade & Meat

1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground red pepper
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 bamboo skewers
1-1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in 1-inch cubes

For marinade, mix all ingredients together until well blended; add chicken and toss to coat.
Thread chicken on skewers, and marinate (in the refrigerator) for an hour or so (I just marinated the chicken in a Ziplock bag and threaded onto the skewers before grilling).
Discard marinade when done.

Sauce

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala (buy from Indian market, use McCormick's, or make your own - see recipe below)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Grill or broil chicken, turning occasionally, to cook through- about 8 minutes.
For sauce, melt butter on medium heat.
Add garlic & jalapeno; cook 1 minute.
Stir in coriander, cumin, paprika, garam masala, & salt.
Stir in tomato sauce.
Simmer 15 minutes.
Stir in cream; simmer to thicken - about 5 minutes.
Remove cooked chicken from skewers; add to sauce.
Simmer 5 minutes.
Garnish with cilantro
Serve with basmati rice and naan (see recipe below)

_____________________

Garam Masala

1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp crumbled bay leaves
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Mix all ingredients until well blended

_____________________

Garlic Naan

Ingredients

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional; I used this)
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy.
Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough.
Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth.
Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
**Note: I used my bread machine for the above steps - the manual will give instructions about making just dough**
Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray.
Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
At grill side (I used a Foreman!), roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle.
Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes.
Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

Pesto Bruschetta Chicken and French-Cut Green Beans

2008-12-07T21:26:00.013-05:00

When I started on my natural / non-processed foods kick in September, this was the first meal I made. Everything is natural and as good as it can get, short of growing it all myself!

French-cut green beans are a favorite, simple side dish of mine; until recently, I've always gotten them from a can. Why not try to make these fresh, too?!

Pesto Bruschetta Chicken

For Pesto:
Ingredients

2 cups packed home-grown basil (or fresh as you can get)
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, cooled
1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese or romano cheese (either or both)
3 cloves crushed garlic
1/4-1/2 cup EVOO, depending on how creamy you want it (I used 1/4 cup)

Directions

Put into a food processor first 4 ingredients.
Pulse to blend.
Slowly add oil through feed tube to make a nice paste.

For Chicken:
Ingredients

1 lb all-natural or organic chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) - I cut them lengthwise for this
1/2 cup homemade basil pesto
2-3 plum tomatoes, sliced (optional)
1/2 cup freshly shredded skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line baking sheet with foil.
Place chicken and pesto in medium bowl; toss to coat. [or spread the pesto on top of each piece like I did here]. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.
Remove from oven; top with tomatoes (if desired) and cheese.
Bake for an additional 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

French-cut green beans:
Ingredients

Fresh green beans from produce section (I used organic)
Splash of extra-virgin olive oil
Seasonings to taste (I use dried onion, minced garlic, black pepper, and a touch of salt)

Directions

Wash green beans.
If the beans are long, first cut them at an angle into lengths of about 2 inches.
Cut them in half lengthwise, running the knife down the flat part between the seams of the bean.
In small pan, heat oil; add beans and seasonings
Toss over medium heat until until desired softness.

Julia's Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

2008-12-07T20:16:00.026-05:00

I'd never been in love with cheesecake (I only like cream cheese in moderation - I won't even put it on my bagels!), until one fateful trip to the Cheesecake Factory at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore when I was a teenager. I was with my family and before heading back to the hotel for the evening, we stopped in and grabbed some cheesecake to go. It was like an ice cream shop with a zillion different flavors - all of which sounded absolutely fabulous (well, everything except "plain cheesecake"). I ordered something chocolaty with Heath Bar topping.......and I was instantly in love.

Until then, I hadn't known that cheesecake wasn't "instant" (*cough cough* JELL-O brand No Bake), mixed up in 5 minutes and refrigerated. I obviously had a lot to learn.

A few years ago, my sister-in-law was having a birthday dinner and I asked what I could bring. She requested "something chocolaty" so I decided to attempt one of these crazy cheesecake things. And boy did it go over well!!! Since then, I've perfected the top layer (which was originally a too-thick ganache that we practically needed a blow torch to get through!), and so here is what I came up with:

Julia's Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients
For Crust:

1-1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (you can get Oreo crumbs in the baking aisle)
2 tbsp white sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted (I use Nature's Promise or Harris Teeter brand organic butter)

For Filling:

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips NOTE: I like to use Godiva or Ghiardelli chocolate - it really makes a difference.
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (I use Organic Valley brand)
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.
To Make Crust: In a small bowl, mix together chocolate cookie crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press onto the bottom and 1-1/2 inch up the sides of the prepared springform pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
To Make Filling: In a small saucepan, heat cream and chocolate chips, stirring constantly, until chips are melted. Remove from heat.
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar until smooth (I'm loving the Kitchen Aid stand mixer!).
Add cocoa and beat well. Add eggs and beat on low until just blended. Stir in vanilla and reserved chocolate mixture until blended.
Pour over crust.
Bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set (but still a little jiggly). Unfortunately I can't always avoid getting cheesecake cracks :( My only "perfect" one was the first one!

Ganache topping

Ingredients

1 cup chocolate of choice (I use dark, >60% cocoa. Again, get the good stuff)
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon butter
Decorative topping of choice (I used swirled chocolate chips this time; I've used chocolate shavings and strawberries in the past)

Directions

In a small saucepan, heat whipping cream until just before boiling.
Stir constantly and be careful not to boil over.
Pour chocolate chips in the hot cream and stir with a spoon until smooth.
Spread over baked cheesecake and refrigerate overnight (or until ganache has hardened).
BEFORE
DURING

AFTER

TIP: If using a decorative topping that needs to be pressed into the ganache (like the chocolate chips I used here), let ganache chill in fridge for an hour or two, until it starts to get firm. Then pull it out to decorate and return to fridge for remainder of chilling time.

I made this cheesecake in Feb 09 and topped it with chocolate sprinkles. I applied the ganache differently this time...first I chilled the cake w/out any topping. The next day I prepared the ganache and poured it over the cake *after* removing the springform pan sides. I allowed the ganache to drizzle down the sides and let it chill in the freezer for about 2 hours (then added the sprinkles and let it chill another hour or so in the freezer to get the ganache nice and firm).

Kung Pao Chicken with Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas

2008-12-07T19:01:00.001-05:00

Okay - I've taken a LONG break from blogging, but I certainly haven't taken a break from cooking! I have months and months of food pics so now it's just a matter of getting all of those recipes typed out. So here I go:

Kung Pao Chicken

On those rare Friday nights when Bill and I are actually home (and when I'm not making pizza), we like to get take out from Pei Wei Asian Diner (the "fast food" version of PF Chang's). We tend to get the same meals every time, so I thought I'd challenge myself to recreate one of Bill's favorites - Kung Pao Chicken (modified from a recipe on recipezaar.com):

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp light sesame oil (I used EVOO)
3 tbsp chopped green onions (including tops)
2 cloves minced garlic
1-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (more or less, to taste)
1/2 tsp ginger powder
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce (I use low-sodium)
2 tsp sugar
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts (I use lightly salted)

Directions

Combine chicken and cornstarch in small bowl; toss to coat.
Heat oil in large non-stick skillet or wok on medium heat.
Add chicken; stir fry 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink in center.
Remove from heat.
Add onions, garlic, red pepper, and ginger to skillet; stir fry 15 seconds.
Remove from heat.
Combine vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar in small bowl.
Stir well; add to skillet.
Return chicken to skillet.
Stir until chicken is well coated; add peanuts.
Heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally.

Serve over hot rice - I added a side of sauteed sugar snap peas (cooked quickly in EVOO with fresh garlic and black pepper, and a touch of Nature's Seasons seasoning salt).

Thai Chicken Pizza

2008-02-26T17:00:00.013-05:00

I think Bill would be the happiest man alive if I made my Thai Chicken and Rice every day of the week. So I figured I'd try to find a few more Thai chicken meals to add to the mix.

We tried California Pizza Kitchen's Thai Chicken Pizza a couple years ago and really liked it, so I searched for a copycat recipe. This is the closest I could find...

Ingredients:

12-inch pre-baked pizza crust **I used an 8-inch**
Sprinkle of garlic powder (this was my addition)
7-ounce jar Thai peanut sauce **I used "A Taste of Thai" peanut satay sauce - only about 4-5 ounces since I used a smaller crust**
1/4 cup peanut butter **I used reduced-fat Jif**
8 ounces cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips **I used rotisserie chicken, shredded**
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
1 bunch green onions, chopped **I chopped up about 3 stalks, just the greens**
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts **I omitted these b/c I didn't have any**
1 tablespoon chopped roasted peanuts **I omitted these**
A few splashes of "A Taste of Thai" Garlic Chili Pepper sauce (this was my addition)
Dried cilantro, to taste (this was my addition)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Place crust on baking sheet. Sprinkle with garlic powder.
In a small bowl, stir together the peanut sauce and peanut butter. Spread over the pizza crust. Sprinkle with Garlic Chili Pepper sauce.
Arrange strips (or shreds) of chicken on top.
Sprinkle on the green onions and cheese. I added some more Garlic Chili Pepper sauce here, too. [original recipe calls for carrots/peanuts/sprouts to be added after cooking, but I added my carrots before putting in the oven. I also sprinkled the top with cilantro].
Bake for 8 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Slice into wedges and serve.

Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes

2008-02-24T18:16:00.007-05:00

So my first comment has to be that I do not know how to follow a recipe!! ;-)

I found this recipe on RecipeZaar.com. It calls for 1 cup of cheddar and then 1/2 cup grated Parm on top. Somehow, I read this as 2 cups of cheddar! So that's what I used and thought it felt a little thick when stirring, but I went with it.

Because of how much thicker the sauce turned out with the extra cheese, I poured a little more light cream on top and stirred it in with the sauce.........then after it had baked for about 40 minutes, I felt the sauce was still too thick - though quite tasty! - so I added another 1 cup of skim milk and mixed it up, then put it back in for the last 20 minutes.

The recipe below has the total amount of milk/cream added at the beginning, to correct my "mistake".

Also, I skipped the Parmesan topper because I wasn't necessarily going for ultra-cheesy potatoes.

So here is my inadvertently modified version of Scalloped Potatoes:

Ingredients:

4 cups thinly sliced potatoes (I used my Cuisinart food processor, which sliced the potatoes thin-ish, but I heard using a mandolin is better. Have to get me one of those!)
3 tablespoons margarine
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk (I used 1-3/4 cups skim milk and 1-1/4 cups light cream)
1 teaspoon Nature's Seasons seasoning salt
1 dash cayenne pepper
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (I used 1/2 cup sharp cheddar and 1-1/2 cups "taco blend" because it's what I had!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a small sauce pan, melt butter and blend in flour.
Let sit for a minute.
Add cold milk/cream, stirring with a whisk.
Add seasoning salt and cayenne.
Cook sauce on medium until smooth and boiling, stirring occasionally with a whisk.
Reduce heat and stir in cheese.
Place a half of the sliced potatoes in a lightly greased casserole dish **I sprinkled with black pepper and some dried minced onion**.
Pour half of cheese sauce over potatoes.
Repeat with second layer of potatoes and cheese sauce.
Top with some paprika for color, if desired (I skipped this because of the seasonings in the taco blend cheese).
Bake uncovered for about 1 hour (or until potatoes are soft and sauce is bubbly and brown.

Bill thought this dish was paired very well with my Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken (shown below)

Ten-Clove Garlic Chicken & Rice

2008-02-24T14:50:00.012-05:00

When I pulled out the slow cooker last weekend, I wasn't really sure what was going to go into it. But you really can't go wrong with chicken and rice! Here is what I threw together (I cooked on high for about 4 hours, but you can cook on low for about 7 hours, as well).

I served this with a side of my Roasted Cajun Potatoes.

Ingredients:

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (>1 lb), frozen or thawed
10 cloves garlic - I chopped 5 and left 5 whole, which I mashed after they had cooked (no real reason for this - I was just experimenting).
3 cups chicken broth (or water + bouillon)
1/2 cup white wine (I used a table wine - a favor from someone's wedding!)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Italian seasonings
1 tsp Nature's Seasons (or any season salt)
1/2 tsp cumin
Other seasonings as desired
2 pouches Uncle Ben's rice, uncooked (I used a mix of long grain and roasted chicken). **any rice can be substituted - instant or the microwavable pouch.

Directions:

Put chicken breasts into your slow cooker. If frozen, put them in whole. If thawed, cut each piece into 3 chunks. Add white wine, chicken broth, and seasonings.
Because I put my chicken in frozen, I removed the chicken from the slow cooker after about 1-1/2 hours and cut each breast into 3 chunks - I also used the back of a spoon to mash all of the garlic cloves in the slow cooker - then returned the chicken to the liquid.
Cook on high for a total of 3-1/2 to 4 hours, until chicken is tender and pulls apart.
Add uncooked rice.
Continue to cook at least 10 minutes, or until rice is done and most of liquid is soaked up.

Roasted Cajun Potatoes

2008-02-20T15:24:00.000-05:00

This recipe makes a great substitute for French fries or mashed potatoes.

This is a very spicy potato! Feel free to cut down on the paprika, cayenne pepper, onion, and garlic. We liked them this way though :)

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

4 large russet potatoes
3 tbsp olive oil (I used Gazebo Lite Greek Dressing)
1 tbsp minced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 tsp salt (I used Nature's Seasons)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tsp dried parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Cut each potato lengthwise into eight wedges (cut each one in half, if desired). In a large bowl, combine the oil, onion, garlic, salt, paprika, cayenne and pepper; add potatoes and toss to coat well.
Pour out onto foil-lined baking sheet.
Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until tender and golden brown, turning every 10 minutes ***I added a few drizzles of olive oil half way through**. Sprinkle with parsley when done.

Chicken Noodle Soup!

2008-02-13T19:13:00.006-05:00

Can't think of a better meal for the icy cold week we've had so far! Plus, I seem to cook like I'm feeding an army, so we'll have plenty of leftovers for Valentine's Day, since we're not doing our fancy dinner out until Friday :)

Feel free to scale this down!!

Ingredients:

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups boiled/shredded chicken (I am all about the grocery store rotiss chicken for this!)
1 cup chopped carrots (I cut baby carrots into thirds)
2 stalks chopped celery (I use my food chopper to mince it real tiny - I love the flavor but I'm not big on chunks of celery in my soup).
3 chicken bouillon cubes (love the seemingly unnecessary addition of flavor!)
Seasonings to taste (I use garlic powder, minced dried onion, black pepper, and dried parsley flakes)
12 ounces egg noodles (we're on a thin noodle kick now, but the wide egg noodles are great too).

Directions:

Shred chicken into large stock pot and season. I let this brown for about 5 minutes on a medium heat, constantly stirring.
Add the chicken broth and bouillon, and stir up any chicken that browned to the bottom of the pot.
Add carrots and celery.
Boil on medium-high for about 25 minutes, until carrots are tender.
Noodles: you can do this one of two ways. (1) Add uncooked noodles directly to soup and allow to boil about 5 minutes, until noodles are done; or (2) Boil noodles in a separate pot of water, drain, and add to the soup once finished (I do this).

Chicken-Stuffed Manicotti

2008-02-13T18:46:00.009-05:00

This recipe is a variation of one my mom shared with me - she makes the BEST chicken-stuffed shells. I didn't have shells on hand, so I tried the same recipe with manicotti. Tastes the same, but I think I prefer stuffing shells over manicotti noodles.

Ingredients:

12-ounce box of jumbo shells or manicotti
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
12-oz box StoveTop low-sodium chicken-flavored stuffing
2 10.75-oz cans Campbell's Healthy Choice cream of chicken soup (or 1 chicken and 1 mushroom or celery)
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3-4 tbsp fat-free mayo (try 3 tbsp, if mixture is too dry, add a 4th)
Seasonings of choice (I use seasoning salt, black pepper, garlic powder and oregano)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium pot, boil chicken breasts (I cut them into smaller pieces to help them cook through faster).
Prepare stuffing according to box directions (I omit the margarine and use chicken broth instead of water).
In a large mixing bowl, combine broth and cream soups (I use a whisk). Season to taste. Layer a 9x13" casserole dish with about a ladle-full of the soup mixture.
Prepare shells/manicotti according to directions on box. Drain and lay out on foil or parchment, so that they are cool to the touch.
Once chicken is done boiling, cut into small pieces (if not done already) and throw into a food processor or chopper. You want very tiny pieces - smaller than just shredding by hand (see picture).
Combine chopped chicken with prepared stuffing in a large bowl. Add mayo until you get a moist consistency (if you plan to have leftovers, add a little extra mayo - the mixture tends to dry easily after being in the fridge).
With this mixture, stuff the shells/manicotti. Line in one layer along the casserole dish.
Cover with soup mixture (I like to add a few sprinkles of fresh Parmesan to the top).
Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes, or until soup mixture is bubbling and sides are brown.

**Hint for boiling chicken**

A friend of my mom's recently gave me this hint: Place a wooden spoon across the top of the pot while boiling your chicken. The chicken/fat will NOT boil over with the wooden spoon in place!! The fat will rise and wrap around the spoon but it won't spill over onto your stove. It gives you time to lower the heat if things are boiling too rapidly.

This is great for when I'm multitasking and can't watch the pot constantly.

Nittany Chicken Bites (the sophisticated chicken nugget)

2008-02-13T18:44:00.004-05:00

Named as such because this recipe was concocted for the Penn State vs. Notre Dame game last fall.
This is a spicier version of your typical chicken finger recipe, and bite-sized to boot.

During football season, I make a ton of these and serve them in a large chip/dip set, with the honey mustard in the little bowl in the middle (homemade honey mustard dip recipe here). But sometimes the husband requests these for dinner - so I tack on sides of French-cut green beans and garlic mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp olive oil
2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
2 tbsp "Soul food seasoning" (or a mix of black pepper, paprika, salt, and garlic powder)
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line large cookie sheet with foil.
Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
Mix olive oil (I used Gazebo Lite Greek dressing) and minced garlic in a small bowl.
Mix breadcrumbs, seasingings, and parm cheese in medium-sized bowl.
Dip chicken bites into oil/garlic mixture.
Coat dipped chicken in bread/cheese mixture.
Place breaded chicken on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Honey-Wheat Bread

2008-02-09T13:23:00.002-05:00

I am seriously in love with my bread machine. I've only used it about 8 times so far (it was a wedding gift), and each time I use it I swear the bread is better than the last batch.
Homemade bread is so easy to make! I love the idea of making fresh bread every Sunday when we have a family.

I've tried a few of the recipes in the manual (including French bread and Italian Herb & Cheese), but here is my favorite recipe so far:

Honey-Wheat Bread
(inspired by "Simple Whole Wheat Bread" from allrecipes.com, but I changed the recipe a lot)

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups warm water
3 tbsp honey (adjust this to taste - more honey for sweeter bread)
1-1/2 tbsp melted butter
1-1/4 cups bread flour
3 cups whole wheat flour
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 package dry active yeast
1 tbsp melted butter (for top of bread)

Directions:
(follow the directions for your own bread machine - these directions are according to the Salton Breadman Bread Machine manual. For oven instructions, see further down)

Add liquid ingredients to bread pan (water, honey, melted butter).
Add dry ingredients (wheat flour, bread flour, salt) and create a small hole in the center for the yeast. Make sure the hole isn't so deep that you reach the liquid ingredients.
Select bread settings (for my machine, I choose the Whole Wheat setting, 2-lb loaf, rapid rise. Consult your manual for alternate settings).
Lift lid of bread machine when 10-15 minutes remain. Baste loaf with melted butter. Close lid and allow to finish.

Oven Directions
(directly from allrecipes.com recipe mentioned above - I have not tried this method for myself):

In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/2 of the honey. Add bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.
Mix in melted butter, rest of the honey, and salt. Stir in whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take additional whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.
Punch down (divide into 2 loaves, depending on your bread pan size). Place in greased bread loaf pan(s), and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard.

Cheeseburger!

2008-02-09T12:49:00.002-05:00

This Friday was cheeseburgers-and-fries night! Only I tried to make it all as low-fat as possible.

I had planned on making turkey burgers, but I read in the latest Glamour that ground sirloin is actually lower in fat and calories. Wahoo - beefy burgers! I served them on toasted whole-wheat buns, but don't worry, I combated all of that with some thick slices of cheddar :)

Even though I had a bag of Ore-Ida seasoned fries, I decided to make my own fries. I found a recipe for Cajun roasted potatoes and I'm not sure I'll ever make frozen fries again!

Wow, looking at this picture makes me realize how HUGE the servings are at restaurants! This is a quarter-pounder burger and it barely takes up any room.......a burger from Ruby Tuesday or Friday's would be half the size of this plate! :)

Ground Sirloin Burgers
(adapted from "Actually Delicious Turkey Burgers" on allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

1 pound ground sirloin (I used 83% fat-free)
2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon finely diced onion
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tsp dried parsley
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper (I actually did 1/2 tsp seasoning salt instead of the salt + pepper).

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix ground sirloin, seasoned bread crumbs, onion, egg white, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Form into 4 patties.
Cook the patties in a medium skillet over medium heat, turning once, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F. Put cheese on top a few minutes before removing from heat.

**I used my electric griddle and cooked them about 10-12 minutes on each side. I'm not exactly sure how long they cooked on the 2nd side after I put the cheese on top, but I cut into the center of a couple to check doneness. I'm paranoid about uncooked meat**

I toasted Pepperidge Farm whole-wheat hamburger buns and put out some sliced tomatoes, lettuce leaves, pickles, ketchup, and mustard.

I served a side of Roasted Cajun Potatoes instead of fries. Yummy!

Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken

2008-02-07T18:30:00.001-05:00

Last night I made what I think I'll have to call my new favorite meal. It was so incredibly simple yet it tasted surprisingly gourmet!

Bill and I have a meal that we've dubbed "Old Faithful" -- chicken (shaken in seasoned breadcrumbs), StoveTop stuffing, and French-cut green beans (seasoned with dried onions). This is the go-to meal for those evenings when I'm staring blankly into the pantry for what seems like hours, trying to come up with ANYTHING to make for dinner.
Well, this meal might have just taken over the Old Faithful slot. Now you know I mean business.

I found this chicken recipe on allrecipes.com: "Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken". It got such great reviews on that site that I decided to try it as written rather than my typical semi-following of a recipe. I only changed a couple, insignificant things (noted in the recipe).

I served this on a bed of linguine that was simply tossed in prepared Classico basil pesto and with a side of my baked garlic-parmesan asparagus (recipe here).

Without further delay...

Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken
(adapted from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil (I had to add a little more oil but I'm not sure how much - keep the bottle handy)
3 cloves garlic, minced (original recipes calls for only 1 clove)
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
5 skinless, boneless THIN-CUT chicken breasts (original recipe calls for 6 regular breasts - I like using the thin ones for breaded baked chicken better though)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with foil (I sprayed a little Pam on mine).
In a bowl, blend the olive oil and garlic. In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, and pepper. Dip each chicken breast in the oil mixture, then in the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts on the prepared baking sheet, and top with some shredded Parmesan or mozzarella.
Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

(Don't mind the little bit I cut from the one piece, haha. I have this paranoia where I can't serve chicken unless I've cut into a piece to ensure that it's really done.)

While chicken is baking, boil a small pot of water and cook about 6 ounces of linguine or angel hair pasta. Drain. Toss with about 2-3 tablespoons of pesto.

Serve with a veggie side. I'll definitely be putting this one in the regular rotation!!

Aunt Pearl's Taco Salad

2008-02-07T18:10:00.000-05:00

So I was at the store and saw ground chicken in the meat department. I was very intrigued. I had no idea what in the world to do with ground chicken, but for some reason I had to have it.

I decided to try it out in a taco salad. It was pretty good! Nothing can beat good ol' fashioned ground beef (we use ground turkey for everything, so it's a rare treat to have ground beef), but this was pretty darn good. Ground chicken has a different texture than beef - much softer. But it didn't taste all that different after seasoned up.

Taco salad has been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl. I remember my Aunt Pearl making taco salad every summer for the party we had after my piano recital! When I got a little older, my mom would make the salad for all of our post-cheerleading-competition sleep overs!! It was always a hit at a party -- I might go so far as calling it the Buffalo Chicken Dip of the 90s!

It's very simple to make - and even though I made a few alterations tonight based on what was in the pantry, I'll post Aunt Pearl's "original".

Aunt Pearl's Taco Salad

Ingredients:

1 head iceberg lettuce
shredded carrots
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cup shredded cheddar (or a Mexican blend)
1 cup slightly crushed Doritos (per the original - any nacho or tostito chip will do)
1 lb ground beef, browned (or ground chicken or turkey!)
1 packet Old El Paso taco seasoning (or homemade taco seasoning - see recipe below)
4 oz Catalina dressing (I use fat-free)
4 oz mild or medium taco sauce (smooth, not chunky)

Directions:

Brown ground beef well; drain.
Add taco seasoning and 2/3 cup water; simmer on medium for 3-5 minutes.
In a small canister or jar, mix the Catalina dressing with the taco sauce. Shake or stir until well blended (mixture should be half and half). Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss lettuce, carrots, cheese, and tomato. **I only mix the carrots and lettuce - I keep everything else in separate bowls for serving**
Mix in cooked/seasoned meat, if desired (I usually leave it in a separate bowl because the warm meat makes the lettuce wilty if left together too long).
Serve with dressing mix and top with crushed chips.

Homemade Taco Seasoning
("Taco Seasoning I" on allrecipes.com)

Mix together the following and store in an airtight container. Two heaping scoops of this stuff is probably equal to one pre-made packet.

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Honey-Mustard Glazed Chicken

2008-02-04T18:25:00.001-05:00

After a complete gorge-fest on Super Bowl Sunday (complete with buffalo chicken dip, naturally), we had a relatively healthy dinner tonight, consisting of baked chicken glazed in a honey-mustard sauce, chicken-flavored rice (the easy microwave pouch kind!), and baked asparagus. So good and no guilt!

Honey-Mustard Glazed Chicken
(Adapted from "baked honey mustard chicken" on allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
black pepper and Italian seasonings, to taste
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup honey mustard (store-bought, or see my recipe in the Tailgating section)
2 tbsp coarse ground mustard - I used Grey Poupon brand
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Slice chicken breasts (at an angle) into 1-inch-wide pieces and place in a lightly greased casserole dish.
Sprinkle chicken breasts with black pepper and Italian seasonings to taste.
In a small bowl, combine the honey, mustards, and paprika. Mix well.
Pour this mixture over the chicken, and brush (with a silicone basting brush) to coat well.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
Serve with a side of chicken-flavored rice and Baked Garlic-Parmesan Asparagus Spears.

As for next time, I think I'd use less of the yellow mustard and more of the honey mustard and coarse ground mustard, to give it a less dramatic color. It was quite tasty though!

Chicken Stew and Dumplings

2008-01-27T17:00:00.001-05:00

My beef and dumplings recipes both came from my grandma. I recently tweaked the recipe to make it chicken-friendly.

My grandma used to make the beef version all the time when I was a kid and she shared the recipe with me a few years ago. Only it wasn't a recipe like the one below, it was more like, "You add some of this, and just enough of that, and boil it until it looks done...." :)

After a few attempts, I feel I've perfected it ... at least the way that Bill and I like it. It's one of those meals I always just "make" - just like Grandma does. I finally forced myself to write down some ingredients and instructions, although I don't think I'll ever actually follow this recipe exactly.

Try it out and taste as you go - make it perfect for you. I use green beans, carrots, corn, and potatoes, but you can use any veggies you like.

Now for the chicken version of my stew:

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed and trimmed of fat
Black pepper to taste (you can add other seasonings, if desired)
1 tbsp minced onion (I used dried)
1 tbsp minced garlic (dried or fresh)
4 cups chicken broth
3 chicken bouillon cubes (this is optional, but I love the extra chickeny flavor)
2 large potatoes - peeled and cubed
1 cup chopped carrots (I use baby carrots cut in half)
1 small can of yellow corn (I prefer the no-salt-added kind), WITH juices
1 small can of cut green beans, WITH juices
1 cup water
1 packet McCormick's chicken gravy mix
2 cups Bisquick (I use the Heart Smart kind)
2/3 cup milk
margarine

Directions:

In a large stock pot, heat oil over med-high heat. Add chicken. Season with black pepper (and other seasonings if desired). Add minced onion and garlic. Cook until browned.
Add chicken broth, bouillon, potatoes and carrots. Let simmer on medium heat until potatoes and carrots are soft (I let mine simmer about 20 minutes).
Add canned veggies (with their juices) and let simmer another 15 minutes. **I keep tasting the broth to see if any other seasonings are needed**
In a separate sauce pan, mix gravy packet and water (according to directions on packet).
Once ready, pour gravy into stew mixture. Let simmer about 5 minutes, to thicken. **Here is when I take my last taste and add whatever I feel it needs**
In a small bowl, mix the Bisquick with milk (Sometimes I add some garlic powder and oregano to the dough).
Drop by spoonfuls into the bubbling stew. The dumplings should rise to the surface. Cover each dumpling with a small sliver of butter.
Place lid on the pot and let simmer on medium for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid in this time, or the dumplings might not raise properly!! If it sounds like it's boiling too hard, turn the heat down to medium-low after about 6 minutes.
Remove lid and serve!

To repeat my notes from the Beef version:

I haven't found a side dish that goes well with this meal, because it already has everything in it! This is a great cold-weather, lazy Sunday meal. We like to make it early in the day and chomp on it for both lunch and dinner.

My only complaint is that the dumplings themselves don't re-heat well (they get a little "grainy"). We try to eat all of the dumplings in one day (lunch and dinner) and then just add more dumpling mix to the left over stew the next day.

Feel free to add some water or chicken broth to the leftovers, depending on what you have left.

Beef Stew and Dumplings

2008-01-27T10:45:00.000-05:00

This is a meal that I actually switch up between chicken and beef, depending on our mood and what we have in the freezer! I'll be posting the chicken version, as well.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb beef, cubed and trimmed of fat
Black pepper to taste (you can add other seasonings, if desired)
1 tbsp minced onion (I used dried)
1 tbsp minced garlic (dried or fresh)
4 cups beef broth
3 beef bouillon cubes (this is optional, but I love the extra beefy flavor)
2 large potatoes - peeled and cubed
1 cup chopped carrots (I use baby carrots cut in half)
1 small can of yellow corn (I prefer the no-salt-added kind), WITH juices
1 small can of cut green beans, WITH juices
1 cup water
1 packet McCormick's brown gravy mix
2 cups Bisquick (I use the Heart Smart kind)
2/3 cup milk
margarine

Directions:

In a large stock pot, heat oil over med-high heat. Add beef. Season with black pepper (and other seasonings if desired). Add minced onion and garlic. Cook until browned.
Add beef broth, bouillon, potatoes and carrots. Let simmer on medium heat until potatoes and carrots are soft (I let mine simmer about 20 minutes).
Add canned veggies (with their juices) and let simmer another 15 minutes. **I keep tasting the broth to see if any other seasonings are needed**
In a separate sauce pan, mix gravy packet and water (according to directions on packet).
Once ready, pour gravy into stew mixture. Let simmer about 5 minutes, to thicken. **Here is when I take my last taste and add whatever I feel it needs**
In a small bowl, mix the Bisquick with milk (Sometimes I add some garlic powder and oregano to the dough).
Drop by spoonfuls into the bubbling stew. The dumplings should rise to the surface. Cover each dumpling with a small sliver of butter.
Place lid on the pot and let simmer on medium for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid in this time, or the dumplings might not raise properly!! If it sounds like it's boiling too hard, turn the heat down to medium-low after about 6 minutes.
Remove lid and serve!

I haven't found a side dish that goes well with this meal, because it already has everything in it! This is a great cold-weather, lazy Sunday meal. We like to make it early in the day and chomp on it for both lunch and dinner.

My only complaint is that the dumplings themselves don't re-heat well (they get a little "grainy"). We try to eat all of the dumplings in one day (lunch and dinner) and then just add more dumpling mix to the left over stew the next day.

Feel free to add some water or beef broth to the leftovers, depending on what you have left.

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

2008-01-25T22:12:00.000-05:00

Another simple pizza recipe..........

I fell in love with the Barbecue Chicken Pizza at Uno Chicago Grill and I decided to try it myself. I personally don't like the onions on the Uno version, so I leave them out. But I did include them in the recipe below.

A few options - the recipe below indicates the cheese that I used the last time I made it (aka, what was in the fridge). I've also used all mozzarella as well as a combo of mozz + smoked gouda. All are delicious! Very customizable.

I was going to make our regular pizza (see my Pizza Fridays post), but I needed to use up the rest of a rotisserie chicken we had in the fridge, so I changed it up this week.

Ingredients:

Refrigerated pizza dough (I like Pillsbury best)
Barbecue sauce (enough to coat the crust - a smoky-flavored variety is great for this)
2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (reduced fat)
2-3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
Garlic powder
Cilantro
Sliced red onion (optional)

Directions:

Set oven to preheat at 450 degrees.
Spread pizza crust out onto cookie sheet or pizza tray.
Sprinkle with garlic powder and a heavy sprinkling of cilantro.
Throw crust in the oven while it's preheating, to give it a head start and make it a little browner and crisper. I leave mine in about 8-10 minutes total.
In the meantime, put shredded chicken in a small skillet with a little bit of barbecue sauce (and any other seasonings you like, maybe a touch of garlic powder?) and cook on medium-high heat about 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly.
When crust has been pre-cooked, remove from oven and cover in a thin layer of barbecue sauce.
Cover with 1 cup of the Italian blend cheese.
Add the cooked chicken, spread evenly over crust. Add red onion now, if using.
Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of Italian blend cheese and the 1 cup of cheddar.
Sprinkle with a little bit of cilantro (and maybe some black pepper).
Bake in preheated oven for 10-13 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbling and edges of crust look slightly browned.

*This is so good dipped in ranch dressing!*

Cold-Day Chili

2008-01-21T17:10:00.001-05:00

I'm bumping this post up because I made it again tonight and remembered to take pictures this time :)
Changes from last time: Today I used a mixture of Italian sausage, ground sirloin, and ground turkey. I also used our new Cuisinart 6.5-qt slow cooker (a gift from my mother-in-law)!

I will be serving this with homemade corn bread - check back for recipe and pictures!

My First Attempt at Chili: Success!
Originally posted on 10/30/2007

I have to admit that I was intimidated by the endless list of ingredients in this recipe. But I tackled it and I would say that the result was spectacular!!

Note: If you taste as you cook, you'll notice that this mixture is quite spicy until it cooks the full 3 hours. It still has a kick when it's ready to serve, not to worry!

The original recipe is on AllRecipes.com but I have posted it here with my alterations:

Ingredients

2 pounds ground sirloin
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
2 (15.5 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained
2 (28 ounce) cans tomatoes with juice (diced or whole)
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 large yellow onion
3 stalks celery
1 green bell pepper, seeded
1 red bell pepper, seeded
2 green chile peppers, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons bacon bits (crumbled real bacon - not the fake stuff)
4 cubes beef bouillon
1 cup beer
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon white sugar

Directions

In a large skillet, brown the ground sirloin and Italian sausage together. Drain.
Pour meat into 5-qt slow cooker.
Cut veggies (green pepper, red pepper, celery, canned tomatoes, and onion) into chunks and chop them to a pulp in a food processor (in batches, if necessary). Add to slow cooker.
Add beans.
Add beer and tomato paste.
Add the bacon, bouillon, and spices.
Add the diced chili peppers.
Mix well and cook in slow cooker on high for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Either continue to simmer on low or serve.

Top with cheddar, corn chips, sour cream; serve on corn bread - whatever you're into.

Tip: If you have time, prepare this well in advance and let it simmer all day. I think it definitely got better the longer it cooked.

BEFORE - adding freshly pureed peppers and onions to the meat and tomatoes:

AFTER - This looks MUCH better!

Cornbread!

2008-01-21T17:00:00.000-05:00

Here is the yummy cornbread I made to accompany my chili. I've discovered that different people look for different traits in their cornbread - I personally like mine a little dense (so I can pick it up without it crumbling, and so I can dip it), sweet, and crunchy on the top and edges.

I dedicate this recipe to my poor husband, who had to run to the store for me to get baking powder once I realized I was all out. Without him, there would be no cornbread in our chili tonight. LOL!

Recipe from allrecipes.com -- no alterations. It was perfect (to us) just as originally written! ....Except I did cook it longer than the original recipe said (about 28 minutes, versus the "20-25" suggested on All Recipes) and I used an 8-inch round pan instead of 9-inch like suggested.

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray or lightly grease an 8-inch (or 9-inch) round cake pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk and vegetable oil until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes (mine needed 27 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Pesto Mashed Potatoes

2008-01-19T20:20:00.000-05:00

I wanted a twist on traditional mashed potatoes, so I thought adding pesto could be tasty.

They were pretty good under beef tips and gravy - you be the judge!

Ingredients:

6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
1 tablespoon prepared pesto

Directions:

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil; cook for 20-25 minutes or until very tender.
Drain well.
Add milk, butter, salt and pepper; mash (or mix with hand mixer) until light, fluffy, and free of lumps.
Add pesto and swirl in with a wooden spoon.

Pizza Fridays!

2008-01-18T17:16:00.000-05:00

I grew up having homemade pizza with my mom on Friday nights. It was so much fun to make, and even better to eat!

I carried this tradition on with Bill, and now we have "Pizza Fridays" probably 2-3 times a month. Yummy!

Okay - i wouldn't really call this a secret recipe or anything....and I'm not sure if it even qualifies as "homemade" (since everything is store-bought!)
But for those of you who have never tried it (or need a new recipe), here is how I make my pizza:

Ingredients:

Refrigerated pizza dough (I like Pillsbury best)
Pizza sauce (my favorite is Boboli brand. Ragu and DelGroso are also good options)
2 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded "Italian blend" cheese (or cheddar, Parmesan, whatever you like)
Sliced pepperoni
Sliced mushrooms
Garlic powder
Black pepper
"Pizza seasoning" or dried basil and oregano

Directions:

Set oven to preheat at 450 degrees.
Spread pizza crust out onto cookie sheet or pizza tray
Sprinkle with garlic powder and seasonings
Throw crust in the oven while it's preheating, to give it a head start and make it a little browner and crisper. I leave mine in about 8-10 minutes total.
In the meantime, put sliced mushrooms in a small skillet with a little bit of oil (I use a splash of Greek dressing, for flavor), sprinkle with black pepper and cook on medium-high heat about 4-5 minutes.
When crust has been pre-cooked, remove from oven and cover in a thin layer of sauce (or to your liking).
Cover with mozzarella cheese.
Add toppings - for us, we do half in pepperoni and half in mushrooms.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese (Italian blend, or whatever you chose).
Bake in preheated oven for 10-13 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbling and edges of crust look slightly browned.

Thai Chicken and Rice

2008-01-14T18:43:00.001-05:00

This was my first attempt at Thai. I honestly haven't tried authentic Thai enough to judge how authentic this recipe is, but it was quite delicious just in general.
Bill gave me the greatest compliment - he said this was the most restaurant-like meal I've ever made :)

Suggestion: Use your favorite veggies. The original recipe (from allrecipes.com) called for just chicken and broccoli. I personally love snap peas, so I substituted those for the broccoli and added some freshly shredded carrots (although the were shredded so thinly that you can't see them in the pics. Trust me, they're in there!).

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
4 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper - [Note: This amount gives a real bite. If you prefer less spicy, use only 1/4 tsp]
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into thin strips
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger root
3/4 cup chopped green onions
2 cups sugar snap peas (or snow peas)
1/3 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, peanut butter, vinegar, and cayenne pepper (Tip: I used a whisk). Set aside.
Heat oil in a skillet or wok over high heat. Add chicken, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring constantly, until chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium, and add green onion, peas, carrots, peanuts, and the sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5-10 minutes, or until peas are tender. Serve over cooked white rice.

Cozy Baked Mac & Cheese

2008-01-14T17:59:00.000-05:00

I can say, hands-down, that this is the most delicious baked macaroni and cheese I've ever had in my life. Bill would argue that it's a tad too spicy. Maybe I'll try with a bit less of Emeril's "Essence" next time.

Adapted from blog "Erin's Life In The Kitchen"

Without further delay --

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons margarine or butter
½ pound elbow macaroni
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon salt [ I used McCormick's Nature's Seasons isntead]
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne [omit if you want less kick]
2-1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese [I used a mixure of sharp and mild]
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (not the grated/powdered stuff)
½ cup fine bread crumbs
1 teaspoon Emeril's Essence [use less if you want less kick]

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 2-quart baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Drain well.
Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a heavy 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, and stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to let the flour brown. Using a whisk, add the milk in a steady stream and cook, whisking constantly, until thick and smooth, 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne (if desired), and 2 cups of the cheddar cheese, and stir well. Add the noodles and stir well. Pour into the prepared dish.
In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese and the 1/4 cup of Parmesan with the bread crumbs and Essence. Sprinkle evenly over the macaroni and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Homemade Tomato Basil Soup

2008-01-09T18:55:00.002-05:00

I've always loved the classic grilled cheese & tomato soup comfort meal - so I made it with a little more sophisticated twist.

This sounds like a lot of food - but you lose a lot after straining. This recipe should make 4-5 large bowls. Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

8 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
1/3 of a large white onion
4 whole cloves garlic
4 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons white sugar, or to taste (to cut the acidity of tomatoes)
2 teaspoons black pepper (or to taste)
4 leaves fresh basil, cut

Directions:

In a stockpot, over medium heat, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and broth. Bring to a boil, and gently boil for about 20 minutes to blend all of the flavors. Remove from heat and use a hand blender to make the soup smooth. Pour through a sieve into another pot or a large mixing bowl - discard pulp.
In another stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour, black pepper, and dried basil to make a roux, cooking until the roux is a medium brown. Gradually whisk in a bit of the tomato mixture, so that no lumps form, then stir in the rest. Season with sugar and salt, and adjust to taste. Add fresh basil and simmer 10-15 minutes.

I served this with grilled cheese sandwiches, using fresh French bread from my Breadman bread machine! Delicious! Comfort food, all grown up :)

Soup, pre-blending:

Soup, post-blending (and straining):

Soup and Sammiches:

I Made Christmas Cookies!

2007-12-20T21:28:00.000-05:00

I actually got into the baking spirit this season :)

And how could I resist? I have all these new kitchen gadgets -- my Kitchen Aid stand mixer and Wilton Cookie Pro II definitely got a workout!

Peanut Butter Spritz Cookies
(I can't resist peanut butter cookies, and I love using the cookie press. Put the two together....)

Ingredients

1 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1-1/2 tablespoons vanilla
1/2 tablespoon water
2-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Beat the shortening with the sugars and the peanut butter until well mixed. Beat in the eggs, water, and the vanilla.
Gradually beat in the flour, baking soda and salt. Form cookies on an ungreased baking sheet with a cookie press (yay for Christmas-themed shapes!) or roll into balls and smash flat with a floured fork or fingers.
Bake for 12 minutes or more until done, usually when the puffed up cookie has lowered down to level. Before then it is more chewy.

I made a lot of press cookies (and experimented with colored sprinkles) and when I only had a little bit of dough left, I made regular cookies ---->

I also made a chocolate version. You can never go wrong with cocoa!

Cocoa Spritz Cookies
(adapted from the Wilton website)

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups butter
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars at medium high speed until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla.
Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture gradually and beat well.
Spoon dough into cookie press. Press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheets. Add sprinkles at this point, if you want to.
Bake at 10-12 minutes. Remove from sheet and cool.

And last, but NOT least, the delectable classic:

Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe is great for everyone - chewy middles and crispy edges!

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour and chocolate chips. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

Mmmmmmmm........

Apple Pie

2007-12-20T21:22:00.002-05:00

I made three of these apple pies over the course of 10 days. The recipe (from allrecipes.com - "Apple Pie by Grandma Ople") is *just that good*.

Ingredients

2 9-inch double crusts (for top and bottom)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer. *The longer this simmers, the better it is!*
Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the apples. Cover with top crust and cut slits.
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, or until apples are soft.

Chicken Parmesan

2007-10-30T14:56:00.000-04:00

Chicken Parmesan a la Julia

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (either the "thin sliced" kind or you'll have to pound the regular ones to about 1/4" thickness -- it's important that they're thin)
1 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs
1 cup of grated parm cheese
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
12 oz. spaghetti sauce
1 tbsp veg. oil
Oregano or parsley to taste
3 slices (deli-sized) of monterey jack cheese (or mozzarella)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Mix breadcrumbs, garlic powder, and parm cheese in a bowl.
Pour 12 oz sauce in the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish.
Heat oil in a large skillet, on medium heat.
Take thin chicken breasts and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.
Dip them into the breading, the egg, then back in the breading for final coat.
Place coated chicken in skillet and fry about 5-6 minutes on each side (just turn once) -- they don't have to be cooked through, just brown/crispy on outside.

Put into baking dish on top of sauce.
Sprinkle chicken pieces with some oregano or parsley.
Put dish in oven, uncovered.
Cook for 15 minutes, then pull dish out and cover each piece of chicken with 1/2 slice of cheese.
Cook for another 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. (cut chicken to make sure it's done inside).

Serve with a side of spaghetti and extra sauce.

Buffalo Chicken Dip - The Original

2007-10-05T12:30:00.002-04:00

Consider this to be he *original* chicken dip recipe: Passed down to me from my mom and requested at every social and sporting event this decade.

Important things to note about this recipe: To get the authentic flavor, you must use BUFFALO WING SAUCE. It exists, and it makes the dip taste like *wings* and not like hot-sauce-flavored chicken. This is where many people go wrong. I'm very opinionated about this :)
Also, the chicken is really at its best when SHREDDED, rather than in chunks. It absorbs the sauce and is easier to scoop onto chips.

Ingredients

16 oz cream cheese, softened
12 oz Frank's Buffalo sauce (brand is very important - and do NOT use hot sauce)
8 oz Ranch dressing (or blue cheese if you prefer)
4 cups cooked/shredded chicken (shredded is better than cut/diced/cubed, because the texture soaks up the dip better and it's easier to scoop).
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (I like to use sharp cheddar or a Mexican blend. Try pepperjack cheese if you want an extra kick!)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese, dressing, and Buffalo wing sauce until well blended (to get out all the clumps, I prefer to use a hand mixer).
Add shredded chicken and mix well.
Spread into a glass baking dish. Top with cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.

Serve warm with Tostitos Scoops or chunks of fresh bread (sourdough or an asiago cheese loaf ....mmmm)

Hint: For a long tailgate or party, bake the dip ahead of time and then keep it on "low" in a crockpot all day. A 1-qt crockpot is the perfect size for a single recipe.

Creamy Alfredo

2007-10-05T11:59:00.001-04:00

Restaurant-style Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts
16 oz fettuccini noodles
1-1/2 sticks of margarine
1-1/3 cup light cream
1/2 cup water that the noodles were boiled in!
3/4 cup grated ("powdered") parmasan cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmasan cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp parsley or italian seasonings

Directions

Slice chicken into strips and cook in your choice of seasonings until browned; set aside (I used lots of black pepper and Mrs. Dash's Table Seasoning).
Boil noodles according to package directions (12-14 minutes or so). **Before draining, take out 1/2 cup of water; set aside. Drain.
In large skillet, melt 1-1/2 sticks butter, then add cooked noodles; toss to coat.
Add the chicken, cheeses (shredded parm + grated parm), water, cream, and seasonings.
Toss it all together and serve with the extra fresh cheese.

Pesto Alfredo Bowties and Chicken

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - boiled and shredded
1-1/3 cup light cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp prepared basil pesto (still haven't attempted to make my own!)
4 tbsp margarine
12-oz box of bowtie noodles, cooked according to directions
Seasonings to taste
Shredded parmesan cheese for topper

Directions

On medium heat in a deep skillet, brown the shredded chicken in margarine (season with black pepper, salt, and a touch of garlic powder.
Once browned, reduce heat and add cream, parmesan cheese, and pesto.
Mix well and continue to simmer until heated through.
Pour over prepared bowtie noodles and top with fresh shredded parmesan cheese.

Italian Dip

2007-10-04T19:53:00.000-04:00

Use this as a base recipe - just add your favorite pizza toppings, or make it Mexican-style.

Ingredients

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
12 oz pizza sauce
1 cup diced pepperoni
3 green onions, diced
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Mix sour cream and cream cheese together thoroughly and spread in bottom of 9-inch pie plate.
Cover with pizza sauce.
Sprinkle pepperoni on top of sauce.
Sprinkle green onion on top.
Cover with mozzarella cheese.
Bake 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with club crackers or mini garlic toast.

Jacki's Jambalaya

2007-10-04T15:32:00.001-04:00

Got this recipe from a friend and I am dying to try it! I will follow up with comments and a picture after I make it.

Ingredients

2 cups Chicken Broth
1 tbsp. Creole seasoning
1 large green pepper, diced (about 1 1/3 cups)
1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 large stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)
1 can (about 14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 lb. kielbasa, diced
3/4 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into cubes
1 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1/2 lb. fresh medium shrimp, shelled and deveined

Directions

Mix broth, Creole seasoning, pepper, onion, celery, tomatoes, kielbasa, chicken and rice in 3 1/2- to 6-qt. slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours (or 4 to 5 hours on high)
Add shrimp. Cover and cook for 40 min. or until done.

Pokey Stix Fonduta

2007-10-04T12:44:00.000-04:00

Adapted from Olive Garden's Smoked Mozzarella Fonduta. I discovered it's likeness to Pokey Stix when I tried it with Parmesan-garlic pita chips.
[Pokey Stix are cheesy breadsticks from Gumby's. No drunken Penn State night was complete without a box...]

Ingredients
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp Italian Seasonings
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cups shredded smoked* provolone cheese
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp grated Romano cheese
2 green onions, chopped
3 cherry tomatoes, diced

*either the mozzarella or provolone can be smoked. It really adds to the flavor.

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 F.
Grease 8x8 casserole dish.
In mixing bowl, combine sour cream, seasonings, green onion (leave a little for on top) and cheeses. Blend thoroughly.
Top with remaining green onion.
Pour into casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes or until melted and bubbly.
Before serving, top with tomato.

*Note: this dip tends to cool off and solidify quickly. If serving at a party, bake it early and keep it in a crockpot on low for the duration of the party.

Serve with Parmasan-garlic pita chips. This really adds to the Pokey Stix flavor!

Pizza Spirals

2007-10-02T19:55:00.000-04:00

Calzone-like roll-up of pizza goodness. I usually have to make two!

Ingredients

1 can Pilsbury pizza crust dough
1/4 pound Genoa salami, thinly sliced
1/4 pound sandwich pepperoni, thinly sliced
1/4 pound provolone cheese, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp oregano

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
Roll out pizza crust dough on the baking sheet. Season dough with garlic and oregano. Layer with Genoa salami, pepperoni and provolone cheese. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese to within 1/2 inch from edges of the dough. Roll jelly roll style. Seal the edge with a fork.
Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Slice into 1 inch pieces to serve.
Serve with marinara or pizza sauce.

Merlot Chicken

2007-10-01T19:57:00.000-04:00

Merlot Chicken

This one was inspired by "garlic pan-roasted chicken" from Copeland's New Orleans restaurant. I can't find a similar recipe anywhere for the life of me, so I tried my best to recreate it. Granted, it's been a long time since I've been to Copeland's, so I may have to edit this recipe after my next visit.

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (either the "thin sliced" kind or you'll have to pound the regular ones to about 1/4" thickness -- it's important that they're thin)
1 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs
1 cup of grated parm cheese
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1 head of garlic, broken but not peeled, brushed w/ olive oil
2 cups Merlot wine
2 shallots
1 cup beef broth
2 packets brown gravy mix (this was a total improvisation but it was great!)
2 tbsp veg. oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Roast the garlic:

Once preheated, place garlic on a cookie sheet and roast for 15 minutes.
Peel garlic (discard skins) and mash it in a small bowl. Set aside (to use in sauce).

Prepare the chicken:

Mix breadcrumbs, garlic powder, and parm cheese in a bowl.
Pour 12 oz sauce in the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish.
Heat oil in a large skillet, on medium heat.
Take thin chicken breasts and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.
Dip them into the breading, the egg, then back in the breading for final coat.
Place coated chicken in skillet and fry about 5-6 minutes on each side (just turn once) -- they don't have to be cooked through, just brown/crispy on outside.

While chicken is frying, prepare the sauce:

Pour Merlot into sauce pan. Add shallots and mashed/roasted garlic.
Bring to a boil, constantly stirring.
Add beef broth and gravy mix and boil on medium heat until sauce thickens.
Pour 1/2 cup of the sauce into baking dish.

All together now:

Put fried chicken in the baking dish on top of sauce.
Pour remainder of sauce over chicken, evenly.
Put dish in oven, uncovered.
Cook for 20 minutes.

Serve over mashed potatoes with a side of French-cut green beans. Yummy!!

Note: Scaling the sauce recipe back by 1/2 is plenty for the chicken alone. I originally only used 1/2 the recipe but this resulted in dry mashed potatoes! So if you anticipate needing sauce for your potatoes, then use the amounts listed above. For just chicken, scale it down 50%.

In the Kitchen with Julia

Snickers Ice Cream Cake

Santa Fe Chicken with Black Bean Salsa

Cilantro-Lime Rice

White Pizza w/ Homemade Crust

Cinnamon Toast Crunch! (a.k.a. cinnamon-nut bread with chocolate chips and cinnamon-honey butter)

Cajun Chicken Noodle Casserole

Feta Bruschetta Spread

Cinnamon-Sugar Pecans

Pioneer Woman's Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Tasty Roasted Turkey! Thanksgiving Style

Slow-Cooker Meatloaf

I attempted meatloaf a couple years ago and it, well, wasn't great. I got up the nerve to try it again today and I give this version an A+! It is adapted from this allrecipes.com recipe (I added a lot more seasoning, as reflected below).

Ingredients

Directions

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Kind of like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Slightly crunchier (due to the graham cracker crumbs). Very easy!

Ingredients

Directions

Chicken Paprikash

Mongolian Beef

Directions:

Chicken & Cheese Shells in a Tomato-Cream Sauce

Directions

Beef Stroganoff

Cheddar-Swiss Fondue

Cranberry, Walnut, & Feta Salad

Baked Taco Dip

Taco Seasoning

Homemade Basil Pesto

All-Natural Buffalo Wing Sauce

Honey Mustard Dip

Balsamic-Dijon Salad Dressing

Baked Garlic-Parmesan Asparagus Spears

Garam Masala

A Spicy Salsa (or Sauce)

Back at it...Stuffed Peppers and Cornbread

Do You Like Chipotle Burrito Bols?

Pad Thai - two tries

Garlic Croutons

New Year's Day Pork & Sauerkraut!

Party Pretzels

Green Iced Tea

Pittsburgh Pierogies!

Here is a recipe I found on Pittsburgh.about.com:

Homemade Potato & Cheddar Pierogies Note: I doubled the recipe below so that I would have some to freeze for later. For a double recipe, I used a total of 8 large russet potatoes. I definitely have a lot of potato mixture left over, too.

Potato, Cheese & Onion FillingIngredients

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Pierogi DoughIngredients

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Triple Chocolate Ice Cream (KA Stand Mixer)

Ingredients

Directions

Buffalo Chicken Dip: All-Natural Version

Spicy!! Cajun Chicken Pasta w/ Homemade Fettuccine

Ingredients

Directions

Ingredients

Directions

Ingredients

Directions

Ranch Dressing (or Dip)

Chicken Tikka Masala and Garlic Naan

My first attempt at Indian food! This is my favorite Indian meal...the naan could use some work but I think the chicken tasted great!

Tikka Masala

Ingredients

Marinade & Meat

Sauce

Directions

Ingredients

Directions

Pesto Bruschetta Chicken and French-Cut Green Beans

Julia's Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

Kung Pao Chicken with Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas

Thai Chicken Pizza

Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes

Ten-Clove Garlic Chicken & Rice

Roasted Cajun Potatoes

Chicken Noodle Soup!

Homemade Potato & Cheddar Pierogies

Note: I doubled the recipe below so that I would have some to freeze for later. For a double recipe, I used a total of 8 large russet potatoes. I definitely have a lot of potato mixture left over, too.

Potato, Cheese & Onion Filling
Ingredients

Pierogi Dough
Ingredients