Jen's Phood Phoria

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-11-05T20:49:00.002-04:00

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. white sugar
2 eggs
3/4 t. vanilla
3/4 t. corn syrup
1 1/4 t. baking soda
1 c. peanut butter
1 c. flour
2 c. oats
1 bag chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter with sugars. Mix in eggs, vanilla, corn syrup, baking soda and peanut butter. Add flour, oats and chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 14 minutes.

Makes 3 dozen

Granola

2011-10-15T15:54:00.003-04:00

"I got this recipe from the Disney Channel"

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups oats
salt to taste
7 ounces shredded coconut (I used sweetened)
4 oz. honey
cinnamon to taste
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups nuts of choice (I used sliced almonds)
8 oz. dried fruit of choice (I used cranberries)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients except for dried fruit in large bowl. Press onto large rectangular cookie sheet.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. (original recipe said 30 minutes, but mine was overdone). Let cool then mix in dried fruit.

Thanks to my readers.....

2011-04-30T20:33:00.004-04:00

I've reached 20,000 hits today!

It's very exciting! It makes me want to post recipes more often, but since I am 20 weeks pregnant, I haven't been in the mood to put more effort into meals than I usually do.

Thanks to everyone who has stopped by, and thank you to all of my followers!

Hot Dog Sauce

2011-04-09T09:29:00.004-04:00

"I don't remember where I got this recipe, but it's wonderful, and I have made it many times. I usually divide it into thirds and freeze what I don't use."

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground beef (I use sirloin)
1 sm. onion
3 cloves garlic
1 c. water
1/2 c. ketchup
1/4 c. BBQ sauce
2 T. yellow mustard
1 T. worchestershire sauce
1 T. chili powder
2 t. cumin
2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Saute meat with onions over medium heat in large frying pan until browned (drain if necessary). Use food processor to ground meat and onion and return to pan. Mix in remaining ingredients and continue to cook until bubbling. Serve warm over hot dogs.

Makes 12-16 servings (1 serving = 2 hotdogs)

Marinated Pork Chops with Apple Compote

2011-04-07T10:32:00.003-04:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com. I made a few changes including using ground instead of fresh ginger, sauteing chops instead of grilling, and reducing the butter by half. This was delicious!"

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless pork chops
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves minced garlic
1 t. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup olive oil

4 T. butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 apple, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix balsamic vinegar, garlic, and thyme and oil in a small bowl. Pour the marinade into a resealable plastic bag. Add the pork chops, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Saute pork with remaining marinade from bag in a large frying pan until browned and cooked through (about 15-20 min)
3. While the pork is cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar until it begins to simmer. Add the apples, cherries, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook and stir until the apple is tender, about 10 minutes. Serve the sliced pork topped with the apple compote.

Beef Stroganoff

2011-02-23T18:42:00.003-05:00

"I found this recipe on allrecipes.com, took suggestions from a review, and then added my own changes....very tasty!"

INGREDIENTS:

approx 2 lbs flat iron steak, cut into bite sized pieces
salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder to taste
1 T. olive oil
1/3 c. white wine
1 T. browning sauce (I used the bottled Gravy Master, found near the dry gravy packets)

1 stick butter
medium onion chopped
2 - 6 oz cans mushrooms
1 T. minced garlic
10 oz. beef stock (reserve 2 oz to stir into cornstarch and flour)
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. yellow mustard
2 T. all-purpose flour
2 T. corn starch
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/3 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste

1 pound flat noodles cooked according to directions on package (I used Amish noodles)

DIRECTIONS:

1st Method for cooking meat:
In large skillet brown meat in olive oil on medium heat with spices until cooked through. Add wine and browning sauce and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Remove meat leaving liquid in pan.

2nd Method for cooking meat: (method I used)
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. In 13x9 dish stir together meat with olive oil, wine and browning sauce, add spices. Bake for 1 hr., remove from oven, and pour just remaining liquid in large skillet, setting meat aside.

Sauce Directions:

Melt butter along with liquid from meat over medium heat. Add onions, mushrooms and minced garlic and saute until onions are soft and clear. Stir in 8 oz. beef stock, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. In measuring cup, dissolve flour and cornstarch in 2 oz. beef stock. Slowly stir mixture into skillet. Add cream cheese and sour cream and stir in until melted and mixed thoroughly. Stir in wine and season with salt and pepper. Add meat and mix. Stir meat and sauce into prepared noodles or serve over noodles.

Serves 8

Carrot Cake

2011-01-11T16:42:00.002-05:00

"I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. I had never made home made carrot cake before and this was delicious. The original called for 1 cup pecans in the cake and 1 cup in the frosting, but I would recommend using 1/2 as much which is how I typed it below. I had so much I used it as a garnish on top. You can do that, or not even put any inside the frosting at all."

INGREDIENTS:

4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped pecans

FROSTING:

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
4. To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.

Mac 'n' Cheese

2011-01-11T16:30:00.003-05:00

"Definitely the best one I've tried yet...especially with my tweaking"

INGREDIENTS:

1 16 oz. package elbow mac (cooked according to directions)

Sauce:

9 T. butter
2 c. half and half
2 T. Franks Red Hot sauce
1/4 c. ranch dressing
4 c. asst cheeses (I used sharp cheddar, Munster and Monterrey Jack)
8 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. paprika
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. onion powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter over med-low heat in medium pot then add ingredients in order listed. Stir frequently until all cheeses are melted. Put noodles and sauce into 9x13 baking dish and stir together. Bake covered for 40 minutes.

Easy OREO Truffles

2011-01-11T16:25:00.003-05:00

"I found this recipe on allrecipes.com"

INGREDIENTS:

1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Refrigerate mixture for two hours. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter. Freeze balls for 1/2 hr.
2. Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
3. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Buttery Soft Pretzels

2010-09-06T09:33:00.004-04:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com. They remind me of Auntie Ann's pretzels."

INGREDIENTS:

4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water
1/4 cup kosher salt, for topping

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 415 degrees F. In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.
4. When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until browned.

Serve with melted butter, or your choice of dipping sauce.
Yield: 12 pretzels

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

2010-04-30T19:05:00.002-04:00

"I found this recipe on allrecipes.com but it was originally in Taste of Home magazine."
INGREDIENTS:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, yogurt and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Makes 1 dozen large muffins

Raspberry Streusel Muffins

2010-04-30T14:51:00.004-04:00

"Was looking for some new muffin recipes. This one came from Taste of Home magazine."

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

STREUSEL:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in egg. In a small bowl, mix sour cream, milk and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture alternately with sour cream mixture just until moistened. Gently fold in raspberries. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Combine flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over muffins. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Dust win confectioners' sugar.

Makes 1 dozen

Orange Cranberry Muffins

2010-04-30T14:47:00.002-04:00

"Was looking for some new muffin recipes and found this on allrecipes.com. The original didn't include cranberries and said it was an old Mennonite recipe."

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2/3 cup orange juice
1/2 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1 cup dried cranberries

Topping:
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, white sugar and grated orange peel. Stir in orange juice, 1/2 cup melted butter, eggs and cranberries.
Pour into 12 muffin cups.
Blend 1 tablespoon melted margarine, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on top of each muffin. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 20-25 minutes.

Balsamic-Glazed Salmon Fillets

2010-04-19T19:00:00.003-04:00

"This is the first time I've prepared or even eaten salmon. It was so delicious, and I'm glad I have a new fish option."
INGREDIENTS:

1 lb salmon cut into 2 fillets
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon white wine
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Coat a small saucepan with non-stick cooking spray. Over medium heat, cook and stir garlic until soft, about 3 minutes. Mix in white wine, honey, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for about 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
3. Arrange salmon fillets on foil-lined baking sheet. Brush fillets with 1/2 of balsamic glaze, and sprinkle with oregano.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until flesh flakes easily with a fork. Brush fillets with remaining glaze, and season with salt and pepper. Use a spatula to transfer fillets to serving platter, leaving the skin behind on the foil (if there is skin).

Jen's Beef Enchilada Casserole

2009-11-11T09:12:00.003-05:00

"It's been a long time since I tried making a new recipe. I am really into learning to make more authentic-tasting Mexican food, so I wanted to try my hand at a sauce from scratch. Canned enchilada sauce tastes cheap to me, so I made my own and it was so yummy. Looking forward to getting some reviews of this...enjoy!"

INGREDIENTS:

23 small corn tortillas
4 cups Mexican-Blend shredded cheese

Meat Mixture Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I use sirloin)
3 green onions finely chopped
1 Pablano Pepper diced
1 large tomato diced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin

Sauce Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups beef broth (I use no salt added)
6 oz. tomato paste
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine meat mixture ingredients together and saute in large pan until meat is browned. Run mixture through food processor. In medium saucepan over medium heat melt butter and add flour to make roux. Stir in broth and tomato paste continuing to stir until smooth. Add vinegar and spices and stir until smooth and sauce starts to simmer.

Layering (in 9x13 dish sprayed with cooking spray)

1/2 cup sauce
9 tortillas (place so they go up the sides of the dish)
1/2 of meat mixture
1/2 cup of cheese
1/2 cup sauce
8 tortillas
rest of meat mixture
1/2 cup cheese
1/2 cup sauce
6 tortillas
remaining sauce

Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, add remaining cheese and bake additional 10 minutes. Allow to sit and "set" for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6-8

Tomato-Herb Strata

2009-11-08T13:07:00.003-05:00

"I saw this on an episode of Rachael Ray back in the summertime but I haven't tried it until now. It was fabulous!"

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons butter, softened
8 large eggs
4 cups whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
An assortment of sliced breads such as whole wheat , sourdough, round loafs, bagels, etc., cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (enough to fill a 13x9x2” baking dish)
1 pint multi-colored cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups Gruyere or Swiss cheese, shredded
2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 bunch chives, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Butter a 13x9x2” glass baking dish.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Step

Arrange the bread cubes in the bottom of the prepared baking dish, then scatter the tomatoes, cheese and chopped herbs on top.
Step

Pour the milk and egg mixture over top of the breads, pressing down to submerge everything completely. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least a few hours -- preferably overnight -- to allow the breads to soak up all the milk.

To bake, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350º F.

Bake the strata uncovered until puffed and golden, and a knife inserted into its center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let stand for 10 minutes. Cut the strata into squares and serve.

Yields: 8 servings

Hot Apple Cider

2009-10-28T21:20:00.002-04:00

"I was inspired to make a hot cider recipe after tasting some at an orchard. I made this for a family get-together and it went over really well, and make the house smell fantastic. Found this on allrecipes.com"

INGREDIENTS:

1 gallon apple cider
2/3 cup real maple syrup
5 cinnamon sticks
16 whole cloves
16 whole allspice berries
peel from 1/2 lemon cut into strips (or use peeler)
peel from 1/2 orange cut into strips (or use peeler)

*cheesecloth*

Optional add-ins:

Caramel Vodka,
Captain Morgan's or
Cinnamon Schnapps

DIRECTIONS:

Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stock pot.
Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the center of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.
Place the saucepan over moderate heat until hot
Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs.

Gratinéed Baked Squash Halves

2009-10-28T21:07:00.002-04:00

"I found this recipe in a Reader's Digest and it turns out that it's a Martha Stewart recipe. Now that I've read the directions again I realized that I didn't put the cream mixture in before baking like I was suppose to. My version is here, but the original can be found HERE . I put in 4 oz. total cheese instead of the original 2 oz., but it still didn't seem like enough, especially to get a photo like the one found in the link, so here I put a total of 8 oz.. Gruyere is an expensive cheese, so you can try swiss if you prefer."

INGREDIENTS:

2 acorn squash, halved crosswise, seeds removed

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 t. ground sage

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (about 8 oz.)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place squash halves, cut sides up, in a 13 x 9-in. baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Pour about 1/2 cup water into baking dish around squash.

2. Combine cream with sage and garlic in small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then pour into squash halves, dividing evenly.

3. Bake until squash are tender when pierced with tip of sharp knife, about one hour. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese, dividing evenly. Continue baking until cheese is melted and golden, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

2009-08-17T10:30:00.003-04:00

"I originally found this recipe on allrecipes.com, but I've modified it to make it healthier."

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups fresh fruit diced (my favorite combo is strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and peaches...1/2 cup each)

6 standard sized tortillas cut into 8 wedges each (I used wheat tortillas...and you can also use pita)

3 Tablespoons sugar / 1 Tablespoon cinnamon mixed

cooking spray (I like Pam baking spray because it's sweet)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lay out tortilla wedges on large rectangular cookie sheet (you can only bake 1/2 at a time). Spray tops only with cooking spray and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve with mixed fruit.

Yellow Squash Casserole

2009-08-17T10:26:00.002-04:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com when I was looking for something different to do with yellow squash."

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups sliced yellow squash
1/2 cup chopped onion
35 buttery round crackers, crushed
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place squash and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in a small amount of water. Cover, and cook until squash is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well, and place in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, mix together cracker crumbs and cheese. Stir half of the cracker mixture into the cooked squash and onions. In a small bowl, mix together eggs and milk, then add to squash mixture. Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cracker mixture, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Chicken (Pork) with Egglant-Pepper Sauce

2009-08-17T10:15:00.004-04:00

"Obviously the photo is of pork chops. That is what I had, so I'm sure what I made was a little more fattening. I found this is Cooking Light magazine. Also what is pictured is only three chops because I did not put the sauce on one chop for the kids."

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium eggplant (about 1/2 pound)
2 medium red bell peppers (about 1 pound)
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper, divided
4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon paprika
4 teaspoons lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Slice eggplant in half lengthwise, and pierce skin with a fork. Cut tops off bell peppers; discard tops, seeds, and membranes. Place eggplant and bell peppers on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 8 minutes or until tender.

While the eggplant cooks, combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, ginger, garlic powder, and 1/8 teaspoon red pepper; sprinkle the chicken with the ginger mixture. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook for 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done.

Combine eggplant and bell peppers in a blender or food processor. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper, 1 teaspoon oil, paprika, and juice; process until smooth. Serve chicken with sauce.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 194 (19% from fat)
Fat: 4.1g (sat 0.7g,mono 2g,poly 0.7g)
Protein: 27.9g
Carbohydrate: 11.8g
Fiber: 3.9g
Cholesterol: 66mg
Iron: 1.7mg
Sodium: 518mg
Calcium: 29mg

Lemon Layer Cake

2009-05-29T16:11:00.003-04:00

INGREDIENTS:

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Filling:
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup white sugar
4 egg yolks, beaten

Frosting:
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons milk
yellow food coloring for color

DIRECTIONS:

Filling: (Make first because it needs refrigerated 3 hours)

In medium saucepan, mix together 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth. Mix in 6 tablespoons butter and 3/4 cup sugar, and bring mixture to boil over medium heat. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. In small bowl, with a wire whisk, beat egg yolks until smooth. Whisk in a small amount of the hot lemon mixture. Pour the egg mixture into the sauce pan, beating the hot lemon mixture rapidly. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes, or until thick (not to boil).
Pour mixture into medium bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface to keep skin from forming as it cools. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate 3 hours.

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 8 inch round pans. Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and lemon juice. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.

Frosting:
In large bowl, beat confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest until smooth. Beat in milk, and increase speed and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add food coloring if desired.

Place one layer of cake on a serving plate. Spread with filling. Top with second layer, and spread sides and top with frosting. Refrigerate cake until serving time.

Notes:

Filling kind of squishes out when you frost it.

Can decorate with lemon slices and zest on top.

I used about 4 lemons total (make sure you get the zest off before cutting and juicing)

Video....How to Peel a Hard Boiled Egg

2009-05-23T10:19:00.004-04:00

So someone sent me this in a forward, and since I detest trying to peel eggs, I thought it was very interesting. I hope you enjoy!

Chile Relleno with Red Chile Sauce

2009-05-02T18:26:00.003-04:00

"This is my favorite Mexican dish, but I was so nervous to try it since I don't have a lot of experience cooking Mexican food. I found this recipe by searching for a recipe for the sauce, and I'm so glad I tried this particular recipe because it's the best version I've ever tasted. HERE is the link to the original recipe. You might want to watch the first video because it was really helpful to me. I am including my chances and choices."

3/4 lb cold sharp Cheddar cheese cut into long matchstick pieces
8 Poblano Peppers, roasted and peeled *directions follow
1 batch beer batter *recipe follows
3 cups vegetable oil for frying
1 batch red chile sauce *recipe follows

Prepare batter first:

BEER BATTER

3/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, toasted
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1 cup beer, any brand as long as it's not dark

Combine flour, cornstarch, salt, cumin and cayenne in medium bowl.

Measure beer into tilted measuring cup to be sure you have 1 cup liquid under the foam. Stir beer and foam into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk batter until smooth.

Allow batter to rest 20 minutes before using.

To Roast Peppers:

*TURN OFF SMOKE ALARM IN HOME* :) Put peppers directly onto Electric Stove Burner on high or gas burner on low. Turn peppers with tongs to blacken entire outside. Put into a bowl covered with plastic to allow to steam about 10 minutes. I don't think there is any easy way to peel peppers, but do the best you can. Cut small vertical slit at the top of each pepper just large enough to slide the cheese into...stuff until full of cheese. *Handle with care so the slit stays small.*

Heat oil to 350 degrees over medium high heat in deepish frying pan (I used a wok)(I don't have a thermometer so I just waited until I could hear it bubbling.) Dip peppers, one at a time, into batter and carefully slide them into the hot oil, be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Once they are golden brown, turn the chiles over and fry the other side. The second side will brown more quickly. Keep warm in oven until all chiles are fried. Drain fried chiles on paper towels. (Mine never got as dark as the video showed).

Red Chile Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup mild ground red chile powder
1 tablespoon ground ancho chile powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2-3/4 cups vegetable, beef or chicken stock* (I used chicken)
1 teaspoon salt

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until roux turns golden yellow, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat in stir in all three ground chiles. Return pan to heat and whisk in garlic, oregano, cumin and stock. Reduce heat to low.

Allow sauce to simmer for 10 minutes and season with salt.

(Red chile sauce freezes well.)

*Note: Use vegetable stock to make the chile rellenos vegetarian. Choose chicken stock for general use, or if you will be serving the sauce with a chicken dish. Beef stock is a good match for beef dishes, such as enchiladas.

10,000 Hits WOOHOO!

2009-04-25T17:27:00.002-04:00

I'd been watching my counter for a couple days and some time between now and last night I got to 10,000 hits. I am super excited, and it was a wonderful birthday gift to me (I turned 31 yesterday).
Thanks to everyone who reads and tries out recipes. Any newcomers who want to introduce themselves?

Have a great day!

-Jen

Blueberry Muffins

2009-04-20T12:48:00.003-04:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com and it's the most popular muffin recipe. Changes are included. They are fabulous. Please read my notes at the bottom."

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup fresh blueberries

Topping:
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 T. butter, softened
1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder in large bowl. In separate bowl mix oil, egg and buttermilk together. Stir into the dry ingredients, but do not over-mix. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top for 8 large muffins or 2/3 full for 12 regular muffins.
To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, smooshing with fork until well blended and crumbly. Sprinkle over muffins before baking.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done (test with toothpick).

Notes:

The batter will be extremely thick and hard to work with, but try not to mix the batter too much.

Portuguese Sweet Bread

2009-04-01T19:46:00.002-04:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com. I used the bread machine directions, so I don't know how helpful the standard directions are. The bread was soft and fabulous!"

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons margarine
1/3 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

BREAD MACHINE DIRECTIONS:

Add ingredients in order suggested by your manufacturer.
Select "sweet bread" setting.

STANDARD DIRECTIONS:

Warm the milk and add the sugar and the yeast. Stir and let sit for about 15 min. to proof (the yeast will foam). Add the foamy yeast mixture to the rest of the ingredients and mix. The dough will be sticky. After mixing, cover and let it sit in the bowl to rise 1-2 hours. Punch down and let rise again and then put into a large loaf pan. Bake for about 30-35 min. at 375.

Zucchini Gratin

2009-04-01T19:37:00.003-04:00

"I saw this made on The Barefoot Contessa". I cut the salt in half as suggested in a review and the crust sounded so delicious that I doubled the cheese and bread. The original version is listed here."

INGREDIETNS:

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for topping
1 pound yellow onions, cut in 1/2 and sliced (3 large)
2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick (4 zucchini)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup hot milk
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Gruyere

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a very large (12-inch) saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 20 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Add the zucchini and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the hot milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 10-inch baking dish.

Combine the bread crumbs and Gruyere and sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter cut into small bits and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

Serves 6

Pork Chops with Raspberry Sauce

2009-03-25T13:59:00.004-04:00

"This recipe was awesome, and my family devoured it. I found it on allrecipes.com. My changes are included."

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 (4 ounce) boneless pork loin chops
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
2 tablespoons orange concentrate
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). In a small bowl, combine crushed thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, and pepper. Rub evenly over pork chops.
Melt butter and olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Saute pork until cooked through (about 15 mintes). Remove from skillet and keep warm in preheated oven.
In the skillet, combine raspberry jam, orange juice, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until sauce is reduced to desired consistency (sauce will thicken as it cools). Spoon sauce in a pool onto a serving plate, and top with pork chops.

Potatoes with Caper Sauce

2009-03-25T11:09:00.004-04:00

"Found this on allrecipes.com. My changes are included."

INGREDIENTS:

8 medium potatoes, washed and diced
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons capers, chopped
1 tablespoon minced green onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the melted butter, capers, garlic, green onion, parsley and vinegars in a bowl. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
Add the caper sauce to the pot of drained potatoes and toss gently to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place potatoes in 9x13 dish and add parmesan cheese to the top. Bake in oven preheated oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serves 6-8

Steamed Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

2009-03-25T11:03:00.004-04:00

"I've always wanted to try making my own Hollandaise sauce and it turned out fabulous. I found the recipe on allrecipes.com"

2 bunches fresh asparagus
3 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 dash hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™)
1/2 cup butter

Steam Asparagus until just soft.
In a container of a blender, combine the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce. Cover, and blend for about 5 seconds.
Place the butter in a glass measuring cup. Heat butter in the microwave for about 1 minute, or until completely melted and hot. Set the blender on high speed, and pour the butter into the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream. It should thicken almost immediately. Keep the sauce warm until serving by placing the blender container in a pan of hot tap water.

Note: Picture show is of same amount of sauce with only one bunch of asparagus, but it was too much sauce so I doubled the amount of asparagus in the recipe.

Serves 6

Jen's Baked Buffalo Chicken Fingers

2009-02-18T09:21:00.004-05:00

"My husband loves buffalo chicken, so I wanted to try to make my own. I used pieces instead of wings and baked them instead of frying to help with the fat and calories. You can also skip the butter in the sauce if you want to be extra healthy."

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves cut into fingers
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
cooking spray

Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup hot sauce (I like Franks buffalo sauce)
1 dash ground black pepper
1 dash garlic powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic and salt. Coat chicken in mixture. Place wire cooling rack onto long cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray. Lay chicken pieces on rack. Spray top with more spray. Bake 45 minutes on 350 degrees. Turn oven to 400 spray chicken again and bake for additional 10 minutes.

In Large microwaveable bowl heat sauce ingredients until butter is melted. Add baked chicken to bowl and toss to coat.
Serve with blue cheese dressing if desired.

Serves 4-6

Indian Pork Chops

2009-02-18T09:18:00.002-05:00

"These had a great flavor, but it was hard to think of a non-Indian side dish besides rice. My kids even liked them!"

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 (4 ounce) pork chops
3/4 cup apricot nectar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chops in the hot skillet, turning once.
2. In a measuring cup, mix together apricot nectar, curry powder, garlic powder, and salt. Pour over chops, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until meat is done.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2009-02-11T10:56:00.005-05:00

"I've never made oatmeal raisin cookies before, and wanted to try. I found this on allrecipes.com, and they were awesome!"

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, butter flavored shortening, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Stir in the oats and raisins. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes until light and golden. Do not overbake. Let them cool for 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets to cool completely. Store in airtight container. Make sure you get some, because they don't last long!

Yield: 3 doz.

Chile Pork

2009-01-29T09:45:00.004-05:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com. It was so delicious, especially when dipped in sour cream. This meat would be great in soft taco or enchiladas, or baked in the crock pot all day and shredded."

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
2 pounds pork tenderloin, cubed
1 dash ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Mix together: chili powder, salt, cumin, garlic cilantro and pepper. Coat pork cubes with mixture and let sit for 45 minutes in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
Coat bottom of 9x13 baking dish with olive oil. Put meat into dish, cover with foil and bake 2 hours.

Asparagus with Parmesan Crust

2009-01-28T08:01:00.002-05:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com when I was looking for something different to do with asparagus. I've made this twice and I love it!"

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound thin asparagus spears
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 ounce shaved Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, or to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. Place asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat. Arrange asparagus spears in a single layer. Spread Parmesan cheese over asparagus, and season with freshly ground black pepper.
3. Bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is melted and asparagus is tender but crisp. Serve immediately on warm plates, sprinkling with balsamic vinegar to taste.

Salsa

2009-01-27T08:29:00.005-05:00

"I've always wanted to try making my own salsa. I found this on allrecipes.com. I changed it a little. The heat is probably similar to medium."

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound roma tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small red onion, chopped
1/2 lg. vidalia onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro minus stems

Directions:

Put all ingredients except for cilantro into med saucepan, mix well, put 1/3 of mixture into food processor with fresh cilantro, blend. Put back into saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and continue to cook until onions are soft.
Refrigerate until served.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

Chicken for Soft Tacos

2009-01-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com. I added the changes suggested by a review."

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup lemonade (I used lemon juice and honey instead)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste
1 bay leaf

Directions:

Heat oil in large frying pan. Add chicken. Drizzle lemon juice, lime juice and honey over chicken. Add spices. Saute until chicken is cooked through (about 15-20 minutes)

Serves 4-6

Beef Bourguignon

2009-01-22T09:02:00.003-05:00

"I have never cooked or even eaten this dish, but I'd heard of it. This was absolutely fabulous and smells wonderful baking! I found it on allrecipes.com. My changes are included."

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds cubed stew meat
4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups red wine (Merlot)
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (8 ounce) package fresh mushrooms sliced in thirds

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt and ground black pepper. Coat the beef cubes with this mixture.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the meat and brown well on all sides. Pour this into a 9x13 baking dish.
Return the skillet to the heat and add the onion, carrots, mushrooms and garlic to it. Saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until onion is tender. Add 2 cups of the wine, bay leaf, parsley, and thyme; stir together and pour over meat.
Bake, covered with foil, for 2 1/2 hours. Add remaining 1 cup of wine, put cover back on and bake for 30 more minutes.

Notes:

-I tenderized the meat with a tenderizing mallot
-I served this over wheat fettuccine

Roast Pork with Pears

2009-01-16T10:57:00.003-05:00

"I found this recipe in the Williams-Sonoma magazine. See my notes below"

Ingredients:

* 3/4 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
* 1/4 cup packed roughly chopped fresh sage,
plus whole sage leaves for roasting
* 3 whole garlic cloves, plus 2 cloves, minced
* Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
* 5 Tbs. olive oil
* 1 boneless pork loin roast, about 3 1/2 lb.,
halved horizontally
* 3 ripe red Anjou pears, halved lengthwise
* 4 leeks, white portions only, trimmed, halved
lengthwise and rinsed

Sauce (optional)
* 2 tsp. all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup dry white wine
* 1/2 cup chicken broth
* 2 Tbs. whole-grain mustard
* 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 400°F.

In food processor, process the parsley, chopped sage, whole garlic, salt, pepper and 3 Tbs. of the olive oil until a fine paste forms. Spread the mixture on the cut side of one half of the pork loin, then place the other half on top. Tie the roast together with kitchen twine and tuck whole sage leaves underneath the twine. Season the roast with salt and pepper.

In a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil. Add the pears, cut side down, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the pork to the pot and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Place the leeks, cut side down, in the pot in a single layer. Set the pork on top and place the pears along the sides of the pot.

Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 140°F, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer the pork to a carving board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Transfer the leeks and pears to a platter.

Pour the pan drippings into a bowl and discard all but 2 tsp. of the fat. Warm the reserved fat in the pot over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Add the broth and pan drippings and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the mustard and cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the pork into slices and arrange on the platter. Pass the sauce alongside. Serves 8 to 10.

NOTES:

-I did not feel confident in wrapping my roast in twine, so I bought a roast with twine already. I did not cut it in half.

-The spices and oil did not turn into a paste in the food processor no matter what I did. I rubbed it on the outside of the roast instead of what the directions said.

-When it came to browing the pears, the directions said med to high heat. This made the pears burn after two minutes. I would suggest browning them on low to medium heat and continue to check them.

-Since I burnt my dutch oven with oil I did not brown the roast on the outside. I put all of the ingredients in a large roasting pan instead.

-The directions didn't say whether to cover it or not so I covered it for 1 hour and 15 minutes and left it uncovered for 45 minutes. I also drizzled honey over the roast and pears after uncovering it to get a sweet caramelized outside. Bringing the total baking time to 2 hours

-I did not make the sauce ingredients. Instead I made home-made creamy honey mustard sauce with miracle whip, mustard and honey

Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

2009-01-15T17:21:00.000-05:00

"I love spinach pie, but was always afraid to use phyllo dough. It wasn't as hard as I thought. This was very yummy but lacked just a little in flavor. You may want to add more cheese or even your favorite shredded variety."

INGREDIENTS:

* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1 bunch green onions, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 pounds spinach, rinsed and chopped (I used two bags of Aunt Mid's baby spinach)
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
* 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
*1/2 box Athen's phyllo dough sheets
* 1/2 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling (making a large pocket).
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

Notes:

I ran the parsley and spinach through the food processor

Old-fashioned Meat Loaf

2009-01-14T09:50:00.001-05:00

"This is a Paula Deen recipe. The only thing I changed was to add garlic. Notes below..."

Ingredients:

* 1 pound ground beef
* 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 8 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice
* 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

Topping:

* 1/3 cup ketchup
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix all meatloaf ingredients well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf.
Topping:

Mix ingredients for topping and spread on loaf. Bake for 1 hour.

Notes:

I think this was a little mushy. Next time I would bake it longer and add less tomatoes, but the overall flavor was very tasty.

Artichoke and Sun-Dried Tomato Cheesecakes

2009-01-01T15:27:00.002-05:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com. They are super easy to make, and so delicious! The recipe is from campbells."

INGREDIENTS:

2 (9.5 ounce) package Pepperidge Farm® MINI Puff Pastry Shells
6 oz cream cheese, softened
2 egg yolk
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup finely chopped artichoke heart
2 tablespoon minced sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoon minced parsley
Cracked black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Bake, cool and remove the 'tops' of the pastry shells according to the package directions. (You'll need a large baking sheet)
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Stir the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.
Spoon 1 teaspoon of the artichoke mixture into each pastry shell. Place the filled shells onto a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until the filling is hot.

Serves 12

Note:

The pastry shells come frozen. Leave them frozen.

Garlic and Cheese Bruschetta

2009-01-01T15:08:00.003-05:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com, and it was very tasty."

INGREDIENTS:

1 (8 oz.) cup cream cheese
6 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I use miracle whip)
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced parsley
2 tablespoon minced green onions
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 (1 pound) loaves French bread, cut diagonally in 1 inch slices
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in 1/2 of the Swiss cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, green onions pepper and garlic.
Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
Spread French bread slices with the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with remaining Swiss cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Serves 12

Cocktail Meatballs

2009-01-01T14:57:00.002-05:00

"These were absolutely the best I've ever had. They remind me a little of mamwich sauce. The changes, as suggest in a review, are included."

INGREDIENTS:

2 pound lean ground beef
2 egg
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup bread crumbs
6 tablespoons minced onion
1 (16 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
1 1/2 cups chili sauce
2 tablespoon brown sugar
3 teaspoons lemon juice
2 t. soy sauce
parsley to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, ketchup, bread crumbs, parsley and minced onion. Roll into small meatballs.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once.
In a slow cooker or large saucepan over low heat, blend the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce and lemon juice. Add meatballs, and simmer for 1 hour before serving.

Notes:

Chili sauce comes in a glass bottle. I found it in the store near the ketchup, it really doesn't have anything to do with chili. I had to buy two bottles for this recipe, but I had some left over.

Serves 12

Jen's Fresh Fruit Burst

2009-01-01T14:46:00.005-05:00

"I'm sure this isn't original, but I didn't have a recipe or photo to go by, so I'm claiming it as mine. The only problem if you choose to use pineapple is that you have to be careful because it splits when you stick it on the skewer."

Ingredients:

-At least five kinds of fresh fruit that won't brown

Ideas:

cantaloupe
honeydew
watermelon
kiwi
cherries
grapes
pineapple
oranges
strawberries

-Skewers (I made about 30-35 skewers for the half melon)

-a halved melon (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon)

Peanut Butter Fudge Wreath

2008-12-31T17:40:00.001-05:00

"I got this recipe a few years ago, and thought it was some of the best fudge ever! It's Rachel Ray's recipe."

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter, softened
One 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (save the can)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
One 12-ounce can of peanuts (I like to use honey roasted)

Directions:

Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with softened butter. Pour the chocolate and peanut butter chips, condensed milk and vanilla into a medium saucepan. Put the pan on the stove and turn the heat to low.
Cover the empty condensed-milk can with plastic wrap and put it in the center of the round cake pan.
Stir the chips and milk until they melt together, about 3 minutes. Stir in 3/4's of the nuts. Scoop the fudge into the cake pan all around the plastic-covered can in the center to form a wreath or ring shape. Keep pushing the can back to the center if the fudge moves it.
Put the fudge in the fridge and chill until firm. Remove the can from the center, then loosen the sides and bottom of the fudge with a spatula. Cut the fudge into thin slices to serve.

Notes: I cut mine in slices...keeping the ring shape, and then put a small bowl in the center with the remaining 1/4 of the can of peanuts.

Lemon Pie Bars

2008-12-31T17:35:00.000-05:00

"I was looking for a fruity, non-chocolate dessert and found this on allrecipes.com"

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Mix 2 cups of flour and confectioner's sugar together. Cut in the butter. Mix well until the dough resembles pie dough consistency. Press the dough into a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Beat together eggs, sugar, 4 tablespoons flour, lemon juice and lemon rind for at least 1 minute. Pour the mixture over the baked crust.
Bake the bars another 20 minutes, or until the lemon topping has set. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar when cooled.

Notes:

It's best to mix the dough with your hands

Cranberry Orange Cookies

2008-12-31T17:30:00.004-05:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com. I made them without the icing, but since they're a little tart I think I'll add the icing next time. I made changes as suggested by a review."

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest (I used McCormick's orange peel in a jar)
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh cranberries, cut in half
1/2 almond slivers

Icing (optional)
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and extract until well blended. Mix in orange zest and orange juice. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the orange mixture. Mix in cranberries and nuts. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Cookies should be spaced at least 2 inches apart.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Icing:
In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, 3 tablespoons orange juice and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over the tops of cooled cookies. Let stand until set.

Notes:

I used parchment paper on the cookie sheets, and mixed the dough by hand because it was very dry.
This only made about 3 1/2 dozen for me.

Chocolate Raspberry Cookies

2008-12-24T16:15:00.000-05:00

"I was on an airplane and a lady across the aisle was reading a magazine with this recipe in it. I asked her what magazine it was and found the recipe online. It ended up being a Paula Dean recipe. Please read my notes at the bottom."

Ingredients:

2 sticks salted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 6-ounce package raspberry cream-filled dark chocolate baking pieces, such as Hershey's brand, or plain dark chocolate pieces
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon seedless raspberry preserves

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease 1 or more cookie sheets.

Using a mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and both sugars in a bowl until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat well.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and baking powder. Gradually add to the butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in the baking pieces. Drop by tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake 12 to 14 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, milk and raspberry preserves. Stir until smooth. When the cookies have cooled, drizzle the icing over them.

Yield: 4 dozen

Notes:

-This recipe makes very small cookies. I made my tiny and still only got 3 1/2 dozen. Next time I would double the recipe and the size of the cookies.

-The only chocolate I found with raspberry inside was Ghiradelli squares. The package was a little less than 6 ounces, but it worked out fine.

-The only brand of seedless red raspberry preserves I found was called Polander All Fruit, and it still wasn't preserves, it was spread. The color was too brownish for the icing compared to the pinkish icing in the photo for the original recipe, so I added a couple drops of red food coloring. I also had to add an additional tablespoon or two of milk to the icing

Cherry Pound Cake

2008-12-24T16:00:00.001-05:00

"I wanted a Christmas dessert with fruit, and came across this on allrecipes.com"

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups maraschino cherries, drained and dry and halved *reserve juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch tube (bundt) pan. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and almond extract. Beat in the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Dredge cherries in 1/4 cup flour, then fold into batter. Spread into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

*you can make an icing with 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, 1 c. powdered sugar and cherry juice. Mix cherry juice until icing reaches desired consistency; drizzle over cake when cooled

Note:

The icing kind of soaks into the cake

Slow Cooker Italian Beef for Sandwiches

2008-12-19T19:30:00.001-05:00

"I found this recipe on allrecipes.com, and made changes which are included. I've also added my own recipe for sandwiches using the beef. Make sure to drain the beef before putting it on the buns, and you can freeze the broth to use for a later purpose."

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 beef broth
1/2 cup red wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoon onion salt
2 teaspoon dried parsley
2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 bay leaves
2 (.7 ounce) packages dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1 (2-3 pound) chuck roast

DIRECTIONS:

Combine beef broth and wine with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix in a saucepan. Stir well, and bring to a boil.
Place roast in slow cooker, and pour broth mixture over the meat.
Cover, and cook on Low for 8 hours, remove bay leaf, shred meat with a fork, place back in slow-cooker and cook an additional 2 hours.

Jen's Italian Beef Sandwiches:

INGREDIENTS:

6 sub buns
6 slices provolone cheese
1/2 lg onion cut in long thin slices
1 green pepper cut into long thin slices
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon honey
miracle whip
shredded beef from above recipe

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut sub buns in half lengthwise. On top halves of buns place one slice provolone cheese each. Put onto large baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes in oven. Meanwhile, melt butter in large frying pan. Saute onions and peppers until soft. Drizzle honey over the onions and peppers and continue to cook until they caramelize. Make sandwiches using the beef, peppers and onions, and a thin layer of miracle whip.

Makes 6 sandwiches

Scottish Shortbread

2008-12-19T14:05:00.004-05:00

"This is super easy to make and tastes wonderful! I found this on allrecipe.com"

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Blend all ingredients well. Dough will be stiff (best to mix with hands).
Press into a 9 x 9 inch buttered dish. Prick top with a fork.
Bake until pale golden brown on the top (approx. 30 minutes). Cool and cut into squares.

Italian Breaded Pork Chops

2008-12-19T08:45:00.000-05:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com when I was looking for pork chop recipes. The only change I made (as suggested by a review) was that instead of putting the skillet in the oven (I don't have one that can go in the oven) I put the chops on a wire rack on a cookie sheet lined with foil. It keeps the chops crispy on both sides."

INGREDIENTS:

3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 pork chops

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. In a separate small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.
Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until lightly browned.
Dip each pork chop into the egg mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating evenly. Place coated pork chops in the skillet, and brown abut 5 minutes on each side.
Place the skillet and pork chops in the preheated oven, and cook 25 minutes, or to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Sugar Cookie Cut-outs with Icing

2008-12-14T18:32:00.003-05:00

"I found these two recipes on allrecipes.com. I wanted an icing recipe that hardened so the cookies could be stacked...different from the frosting in a can I usually use. The icing is pretty and glossy and makes store-bought looking cookies."

Cookies: (makes 5 dozen)

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Notes:

-Use parchment paper on top of cookie sheets (can use again and again and it never sticks)

-make sure you flour top of dough you're rolling out and the rolling pin.

-mine only took 6 minutes and were the 1/4 in. thickness

ICING: (enough for the five dozen cookies)

INGREDIENTS:

5 cups confectioners' sugar
10 teaspoons milk
10 teaspoons light corn syrup
2 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
assorted food coloring
sprinkles (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.

Notes:

-I added more milk instead of corn syrup to get the consistency I wanted

Modenese Pork Chops

2008-12-04T12:14:00.003-05:00

"I was just looking for a new pork chop recipe, and decided to search Italian pork recipes. I found this on allrecipes.com. It has a very light flavor, but maybe it's because I substituted olive oil for the butter. Someone recommended using fresh rosemary instead of dried (about 3 teaspoons), and I am definitely going to do that next time. "

INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons butter
4 (1 inch thick) pork chops
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS:

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook chops in butter, turning once to brown evenly.
Pour in wine, and season with salt, pepper, rosemary, and garlic. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until chops are tender. Transfer pork chops to serving plates, and spoon sauce over the meat.

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

2008-11-27T09:17:00.006-05:00

"This was submitted to allrecipes.com by Eagle Brand Milk®. I made it last year as well, and it was fabulous"

INGREDIENTS:

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Notes:
-Cover the edge of the crust with foil for the first 40 minutes of baking
-I used Marie Callender's® frozen pie crust last year, but this year I used Pilsbury® refrigerated pie crust. I would definitely go with frozen one next time, because it has a pretty edge and the refrigerated one doesn't give you enough slack to form one.

When I used the frozen crust it took an extra 14 minutes to bake.

Jen's Insalata Caprese

2008-11-24T19:00:00.004-05:00

"I have been wanting to make this for a long time. So many of the recipes I looked up were similar, but since I added so many of my own touches, I feel I can call it my own. Note: The photo shows only half of a recipe. This recipe would make twice as much. "

INGREDIENTS:
4 small vine ripened or Roma tomatoes cut into slices
24 (approx.) fresh basil leaves, rinsed and patted dry
8 oz. fresh (soft) mozzarella cheese cut into slices to match tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Arrange tomatoes, basil and cheese in dish, alternating slices. Sprinkle with garlic. Drizzle on oil and vinegar, season with pepper. Cover and allow to marinate for at least two hours in refrigerator.

Serves 6

Simple Seasoned Pasta with Chicken

2008-11-24T18:45:00.003-05:00

"This is a recipe that Campbell's posted on allrecipes.com. My changes are included."

INGREDIENTS:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
1/4 cup Italian dressing
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 cups uncooked spiral pasta (the exact amount in a box of Barilla Plus)
6 fresh basil leaves ripped into small pieces

DIRECTIONS:
Saute chicken with basil in Italian dressing until browned. Meanwhile, heat broth, tomatoes, cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in large pot to a boil.
Stir pasta into broth mixture. Cook over medium heat 10 minutes or until pasta is done. Stir in cooked chicken. Sprinkle with additional grated or shredded parmesan cheese.

Creamy Potato Leek Soup

2008-11-24T18:34:00.004-05:00

"I'd never tried leeks before this and I'd been wanting to. Most of the leek recipes I came across were for creamy soups with potatoes. I decided to try this one out and it was very good."

INGREDIENTS:

8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups chicken broth
1 pound bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 leeks, sliced
1 cup heavy cream (or Half and Half for less fat)
2 cloves garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan or stockpot, bring potatoes and chicken broth to a boil. Cook until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of grease and set aside. Sautee the leeks and garlic in the frying pan with the reserved bacon grease 8 to 10 minutes.
When the potatoes are tender, stir in the fried leeks, heavy cream and bacon. Stir to blend and remove from heat. Serve hot.

Butternut Squash Soup

2008-11-03T13:30:00.001-05:00

"I have been wanting to try this for a while, and I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. This is the original recipe, but I made changes, so please check my suggestions at the bottom."

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 medium butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 (32 fluid ounce) container chicken stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Melt the butter in a large pot, and cook the onion, celery, carrot, potatoes, and squash 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Pour in enough of the chicken stock to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 40 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.
Transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. Return to pot, and mix in any remaining stock to attain desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Tips:

-I baked the squash whole in the oven for 1 hour to allow for easier peeling and cutting, and it cuts down the simmering time from 40 to 25/30 minutes.

-I did not use potatoes at all

-I used a can of carrots instead of fresh because that's what I had on hand.

-I added garlic, nutmeg and curry, but next time I think I'd make it without the curry.

-Add a dollop of sour cream to the top of each bowl of soup, and stir in before eating

Caribbean-Spiced Roast Chicken

2008-10-28T18:19:00.003-04:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com when I was searching for recipes the last time I made a whole chicken. It sounded so good that I couldn't resist trying it too. It will make your whole house smell amazing. Check my tips at the bottom."

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 fluid ounces rum
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 (3 pound) whole chicken
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, rum, and brown sugar; set aside. Mix together the cayenne pepper, clove, cinnamon, ginger, pepper, salt, and thyme leaves. Brush the chicken with oil, then coat with the spice mixture.
Place in a roasting pan, and bake about 90 minutes, until the juices run clear or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F. Baste the chicken with the sauce every 20 minutes while it's cooking. Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Tips:

-I doubled the rum, sugar and lime juice to make more "sauce". The recipe didn't say when to pour it on, so I poured it on after brushing it with oil

-I used another whole lime, quartered it, and placed it in the cavity

-Next time I would skip the oil

-The drippings are good to dip the chicken it, but it's better if you use a fat separator to get the oil out first.

-I baked it for 4 hours on 300 degrees, basting every 1/2 hour

Black Bean Vegetable Soup

2008-10-28T18:13:00.003-04:00

"I was looking for vegetable soup recipes that did not include bags of frozen mixed vegetables. I came across this one on allrecipes.com. Check out my tips and changes at the bottom."

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups vegetable stock
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8.75 ounce) can whole kernel corn
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion, garlic, and carrots, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add chili powder and cumin; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add stock, 1 can of the beans, corn, and pepper; bring to boil.
Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, puree together tomatoes and remaining can of beans; add to pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Tips:

-I used 1 Tablespoon butter instead of vegetable oil
-I used 3 cloves garlic
-I used 4 teaspoons chili powder
-I used beef stock instead of vegetable stock
-I used three cans of black beans (putting 1 1/2 in the blender)
-I used two cans of diced tomatoes instead of stewed (putting one in the blender)
-I used canned corn with peppers instead of plain corn

Honey Roasted Red Potatoes

2008-10-20T16:55:00.003-04:00

"I had some red potatoes so I looked up recipes using them and found this one on allrecipes.com. Please check my tips at the bottom"

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound red potatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons diced onion
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly coat an 11x7 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Place potatoes in a single layer in prepared dish, and top with onion. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, honey, mustard, salt and pepper; drizzle over potatoes and onion.
Bake in the preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 35 minutes or until tender, stirring halfway through the cooking time.

Tips:

-as suggested by a review I used three tablespoons of honey instead of one
-I used a little extra salt
-I added garlic
-the cooking time is more like 60 minutes, and it's better to stir the potatoes every 15 minutes.

Spicy Flat-Iron Steak Rub

2008-10-20T16:49:00.005-04:00

"I don't think this is really spicy, although, I did not use the ancho chile powder. I used a chipotle blend instead of just the chipotle chili powder, and I didn't use vegetable oil to cut down on the fat content. I didn't know what they meant by 'salt free seasoning blend' but I used Mrs. Dash's Table Blend"

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 tablespoon salt-free seasoning blend
salt and black pepper to taste
1 (2 pound) flat iron steak
1/4 cup vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:
Mix the brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, ancho chile powder, chipotle chile powder, salt-free seasoning blend, salt, and pepper together in a bowl until thoroughly blended. Sprinkle over both sides of the steak, and rub into the meat. Cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.Before cooking, drizzle steak with vegetable oil, and rub the oil into the meat. Cook as desired.

Jen's Mac and Cheese

2008-10-20T08:44:00.004-04:00

"This is my second macaroni and cheese recipe, but this is one I made up. I loved a mac and cheese my brother brought over once and I remembered he used eggs, so I wanted to try doing the same. I looked up recipes and got the basic ingredients, and then added my own touches to create this."

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 lb pasta, cooked according to package (I used wheat elbow)
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream (I used light)
1 1/4 cups milk (I used 2%)
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon mustard

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9x13 in. baking dish with cooking spray.
Place drained noodles back in pot
Add one cup of the cheddar cheese and all of the parmesan cheese; toss until melted.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the sour cream.
Stir in the milk, butter, salt, pepper, nutmeg and mustard.
Stir the mixture into the macaroni and pour it into the prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups cheddar cheese on top.
Spray foil with cooking spray and cover dish.
Bake for 35 minutes, with cover on and 10 additional minutes with cover off.
Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Roast Sticky Chicken-Rotisserie Style

2008-10-20T08:12:00.002-04:00

"When I make a whole chicken I usually just put it in the crockpot all day, it falls apart and we have to make sure were don't get any bones. I really wanted to do something different with a chicken, and this recipe (which I found on allrecipes.com) was fabulous...as good or better than any rotisserie chicken I've ever had. I accidentally baked it upside-down, so in the photo it's upside-down."

Ingredients:

1 whole 4 lb chicken, giblets removed, rinsed (inside and out) and patted dry with paper towel
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 onion, quartered (I used 1/2 vidalia)

Directions:

In small bowl mix together all spices. Rub them on the outside and in the cavity of the chicken. Place onion inside cavity. Place chicken in large zipper bag (or double plastic wrap) and refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Remove chicken from bag or wrap and place chicken in roasting pan. Bake uncovered for five hours. Use turkey baster to squirt pan drippings onto chicken. Let chicken stand for ten minutes before carving.

Cream of Spinach Soup

2008-10-13T18:34:00.003-04:00

"I love spinach, and I'm always excited to try a new spinach recipe. Since I'm on a soup kick, I thought I'd try this. Check my tips and changes below"

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups water
3 cubes chicken bouillon
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, combine water, bouillon, and spinach. Bring to a boil, and cook until spinach is tender.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Season with minced onion, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in spinach mixture.

Tips:

-I used a 10 ounce bag of fresh baby spinach and a large pot to boil it in.

-After tender I blended it in a food processor along with all of the broth. I rinsed the pot and used it for the next step.

-The milk I used was skim to save on fat, but you can use any milk or cream instead

-I added two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese

-I added 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

-I added 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Greek Chicken Pasta

2008-09-28T18:32:00.001-04:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com. Check below the recipe for my tips."

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta, cooked according to package
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cut into bite-size pieces
1 (14 ounce) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 lemons, wedged, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the artichoke hearts, tomato, feta cheese, parsley, lemon juice, oregano and cooked pasta. Stir until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and garnish with lemon wedges.

Tips:

-I did not use lemon wedges for garnish
-I added one can of tomato paste, 1/4 cup white wine and 1/4 cup low-fat Italian dressing to make a sauce
-You can add kalamata olives or black olives
-You can use marinaded artichokes hearts for added flavor
-I added 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped basil
-I used whole wheat pasta to make the dish healthier

Sarah's Applesauce

2008-09-28T18:20:00.001-04:00

"I was looking for a good healthy apple recipe I could use after going apple picking, and I came across this one on allrecipes.com. I tripled the recipe but only doubled the sugar, and I used 2 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon for the triple recipe instead of 1 1/2 teaspoons. It took 50 minutes to simmer. Next time I think I might add some raisins and not mash the apples."

INGREDIENTS:

4 apples - peeled, cored and chopped
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

In a saucepan, combine apples, water, sugar, and cinnamon. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool, then mash with a fork or potato masher. *I used a food processor

Stuffed Cabbage

2008-09-28T16:37:00.003-04:00

"This meal has been a tradition in my family and I wanted to find a really good recipe for it. I found one at International School of Baking.com. Please check the notes at the bottom for my changes."
Ingredients:

1 head of cabbage

Stuffing:
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 pound lean ground pork
1 cup cooked rice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon chopped capers
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup raisins or currants
2 egg whites
1 chicken bouillon cube crushed
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon peel

Sauce:
4 cups crushed tomatoes
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon grated ginger or 3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove minced garlic
1 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth

Directions:

Boil whole head of cabbage with core removed until water is at rolling boil for 20 minutes. Remove from water, drain & cool.

Mix all the stuffing ingredients together with a wooden spoon or your hands, until well mixed. Lay the cabbage leaves on a flat surface, with scissors cut out the thick vein in the center of each leaf. Place about 4 Tablespoons of stuffing mixture on the bottom third of each leaf and roll up like a "spring roll".

Place the rolls close together in a glass or ceramic casserole. Cover with sauce and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until the center rolls are rapidly boiling. This dish loves to be frozen and reheated.

Notes and Tips:
-I used 2 pounds lean ground sirlion instead of turkey and pork
-I omitted the capers because I didn't have any
-I used brown rice to make it healthier
-I used regular onions instead of green onions for the stuffing because I didn't have any
-I used 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice instead of peel in the stuffing
-In the sauce I used 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 2 tablespoons lemon juice
-You can use the very outside and very inside leaves of the cabbage to make a bed of leaves for the rolls to sit on (prevents from sticking) and to put on top of the sauce to help steam the rolls
-I baked mine on 300 degrees F. for three hours in a roasting pan with a lid

Garlicky Baked Butternut Squash

2008-09-23T20:13:00.002-04:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com when I was looking for a squash recipe that didn't include sugar, butter, or too much cheese. I really liked it."

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine the parsley, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add squash and toss to coat.
Transfer to an ungreased shallow 2-qt. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 50-55 minutes or until squash is just tender.

Jen's Ratatouille

2008-09-19T17:58:00.003-04:00

"I've been wanting to make this, but I haven't found a recipe in which all the ingredients sounded good to me. I decided instead to add and subtract from a recipe I found and make it more Italian flavored."
INGREDIENTS:

1 zucchini sliced thin
1 yellow squash sliced thin
1 Chinese eggplant sliced thin (you can also use a regular eggplant and cut the slices in quarters or about the same size as the zucchini and squash)
3 plum/roma tomatoes sliced thin
1 medium onion sliced in rings
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
20 fresh basil leaves ground in food processor (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in large pan until hot. Saute onions and eggplant until both are soft (about 10 minutes). In 13x9 baking dish coat bottom with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Make rows of veggie slices alternating eggplant, tomato, squash and zucchini. Top with sauted onions. Sprinkle with fresh or dried basil. In small bowl mix together cheese with minced garlic, salt and pepper. Sprinkle cheese mixture on top of veggies. Cover with foil and bake for 55 minutes removing foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

2008-09-10T08:32:00.002-04:00

"I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. I know I need to incorporate more of a variety of vegetables into our diet, and even though brussels sprouts aren't my favorite (especially without cheese sauce), I decided to try this recipe and it was delicious."

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and yellow leaves removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Place trimmed Brussels sprouts, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal tightly, and shake to coat. Pour onto a baking sheet, and place on center oven rack. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, shaking pan every 5 to 7 minutes for even browning. Reduce heat when necessary to prevent burning. Brussels sprouts should be darkest brown, almost black, when done. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, if necessary. Serve immediately.

Tips:

Mine weren't quite as brown as they described, so I definately would leave them in until they are very brown because the leaves that flaked off and were crispy and brown were the best part!

Jen's Tropical Shark Steaks

2008-09-10T08:09:00.003-04:00

"I bought shark for the first time at the store the other day. I actually didn't know they sold it. I'm very particular about which seafood I like, and it's not my favorite thing to eat. I rarely prepare seafood, but the hubby and I started a diet on Monday, so I know I'll be incorporating more fish into it. I looked up recipes online, but I didn't find any that the mix of ingredients sounded good to me, so I made a sauce up."

INGREDIENTS:

4 shark steaks
1 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 can diced pineapple (packed in juice), drained
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons soy sauce (I used low-sodium)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In large baking dish, soak shark steaks in lemon juice for at least 1/2 hour to reduce strong taste (you can also soak in buttermilk overnight). Discard lemon juice, rinse steaks and return to dish. In blender put orange juice, pineapple, garlic and soy sauce. Blend well. Pour sauce over shark. Bake for 40 minutes.

Serves four

Monkey Munch

2008-08-27T13:50:00.003-04:00

"I saw this made on an episode of "John and Kate Plus Eight", and found the recipe on recipezaar.com. Another name for this is Puppy Chow."

Ingredients:

9 cups Chex cereal (any variety)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Put chex in a large bowl and put aside.
Place chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter into a quart-sized microwavable bowl.
Stir the ingredients together.
Microwave the mixture uncovered for a minute on "high." Stir the mix again and continue to zap in thirty second intervals until it mixes smoothly.
Add the vanilla and stir.

Stir chocolate mixture into the cearal.
Put combination into a 2-gallon, Ziploc freezer bag.
Add powdered sugar, seal the bag and shake until distributed.
Spread Monkey Munch out on wax paper to cool and dry.
Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for storage.

Jen's Hobo Stew

2008-08-18T14:29:00.005-04:00

"I have a feeling that anyone who knows about this thinks of it with different ingredients. This is the way my mom always made it. She said on camping trips they would buy a new metal garbage can, put all of the ingredients in and cook it in the campfire to feed a large group of people. I suppose it could be modified to suit your taste. There is really a lot of cabbage compared to the rest of the ingredients, but it adds a lot of flavor."

INGREDIENTS:

1 head of cabbage, quartered
6 large carrots, cut into sticks
6 medium potatos
3 - 1 lb. packages pre-cooked smoked sausage or kilbasa, cut in quarters (hilshire farms or ekrich works nicely)
1 onion, chopped
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 cup water
3 ears of corn, cut in half

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place first five ingredients in large stock pot or roaster than can be placed in oven. Put pieces of butter over top. Pour in water Bake in oven for 3 1/2 hours, adding corn for last 45 minutes.

Serves 6

Apple Pie by Grandma Ople

2008-08-16T16:19:00.002-04:00

"I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. This is someone else's grandma's recipe, not mine, but I'm sure my grandma also made a mean apple pie. This is the original, but please read my notes at the bottom."

INGREDIENTS:
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
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.
Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

NOTES:

-As suggested by a review you can add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg to the syrup. You can also omit a tablespoon of water from the 1/4 cup and add one tablespoon vanilla.

-Eight apples were way to many to fit into my pie, so I think Seven would be better

-the butter and flour didn't turn into a paste for me even though I added an extra two tablespoons

-my pie overflowed and dripped at the bottom of the oven. It also took an extra ten minutes of baking time to get the apples soft enough.

Lamb Chops with Balsamic Reduction

2008-08-16T16:13:00.002-04:00

"So by the photo you can tell it's not a chop but rather pieces. I HATE meat with bones so I decided to cut the meat off, but then I couldn't resist also trimming the fat off, and by the time I was done I had no choice but to cut it in pieces. The flavor of this was wonderful. I have never made a lamb dish myself, but I would make this again."

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
4 lamb chops (3/4 inch thick)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
1/3 cup aged balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter

DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl or cup, mix together the rosemary, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Rub this mixture onto the lamb chops on both sides. Place them on a plate, cover and set aside for 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place lamb chops in the skillet, and cook for about 3 1/2 minutes per side for medium rare, or continue to cook to your desired doneness. Remove from the skillet, and keep warm on a serving platter.
Add shallots to the skillet, and cook for a few minutes, just until browned. Stir in vinegar, scraping any bits of lamb from the bottom of the skillet, then stir in the chicken broth. Continue to cook and stir over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by half. If you don't, the sauce will be runny and not good. Remove from heat, and stir in the butter. Pour over the lamb chops, and serve.

Antipasto Pasta Salad

2008-07-30T17:14:00.003-04:00

"I love pasta salad, and this is one of the best ones I've ever had. You can really impress your friends with this recipe which tastes like it came out of an awesome deli."

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound seashell pasta
1/4 pound Genoa salami, chopped
1/4 pound pepperoni sausage, chopped
1/2 pound Asiago cheese, diced
1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
salt and ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, and cool under cold water.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, salami, pepperoni, Asiago cheese, black olives, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and tomatoes. Stir in the envelope of dressing mix. Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
To prepare the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Just before serving, pour dressing over the salad, and mix well

Notes:

-I omitted the pepperoni and doubled the salami

-I used a can of small whole black olives and cut them in half

Pecan-Crusted Pork with Pumpkin Butter

2008-07-28T19:03:00.005-04:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com, and have made it twice. Check my notes at the bottom."

INGREDIENTS:

Pumpkin Butter:

1 (14 ounce) can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup apple juice
3/4 cup sugar
1 pinch ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pecan breading:

1 cup pecans
3/4 cup bread crumbs

4 (1/2 inch thick) boneless pork chops
1/4 cup oil for frying

DIRECTIONS:
Whisk together pumpkin puree, apple juice, sugar, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon in a saucepan until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the mixture has reached the consistency of applesauce. About 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, pulse pecans and bread crumbs in a food processor until the pecans are finely chopped. Pour into a shallow dish, and press pork chops into the mixture to coat.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add breaded pork chops and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve the pork chops with a dollop of pumpkin butter.

Notes:

-There is a lot of crumbs and sauce, so I would recommend either cutting the amount down, or making six chops instead.

-Instead of frying in oil, I put them in a baking dish and bake at 400 degrees F. for 45 minutes. It makes them lower in fat.

-I would trim fat from chops ahead of time

Cream Cheese Pound Cake with optional Butterscotch Frosting

2008-07-22T17:02:00.003-04:00

"I found a recipe in my box that my mom had in her box a long time ago for butterscotch frosting. Since I spend a fortune on a bundt pan I thought I'd look for a bundt cake recipe that sounded cook with butterscotch frosting. You don't have to use the frosting recipe, you can do whatever with it. I found the pound cake recipe at allrecipes.com."

INGREDIENTS:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese brought to room temperature
1 1/2 cups butter brought to room temperature
3 cups white sugar
6 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) grease and flour a 10 inch tube (bundt) pan.
In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until silky smooth. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy.
Add eggs two at a time, beating well with each addition. Add the flour all at once and mix in. Add vanilla.
Pour into a 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Check for doneness at 1 hour. A toothpick inserted into center of cake will come out clean. (Mine took 1 hour and 45 minutes).

Judy's Butterscotch Frosting:

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons milk (plus milk to thin out frosting)

dash salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup sifted confectioner's sugar

Melt butter in small saucepan. Stir in brown sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly..about three minutes. Slowly stir in milk and salt; bring mixture to a boil, stiring constantly. Remove from heat. Let cool until lukewarm (about 30 minutes). Stir in vanilla. Beat in confectioner's sugar a little at a time until mixed well. Add milk a little at a time until frosting is thin enough to pour. Drizzle over cake.

Country Potato Salad

2008-07-22T15:56:00.005-04:00

"I had this recipe in my box for a long time but had never tried it. I wrote it on an index card, so I have no idea where it came from. I made some changes, so I'm adding them in. My favorite type of potato salad has lots of egg and yellow mustard, but with this one I was pleasantly suprised"

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 pounds of potatoes, peeled, diced and cooked until fork pokes easily, but still firm

4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1/2 cup green or red pepper, diced

1/2 cup onions, diced (the recipe called for green onions, but I only had vidalia)

6 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled (I used 12 pieces of the pre-cooked boxed bacon)

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon celery seed (I omitted because I didn't have it).

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Dressing:

3/4 cup mayo (I use miracle whip)

2 Tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon horseradish

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

pinch oregano

pinch chives

DIRECTIONS:

In large serving bowl combine first set of ingredients. Set aside. In small bowl combine dressing ingredients, and toss with potato mixture. Chill for up to 24 hours.

Yield: 10 servings

French Onion "Soup" Mac and Cheese

2008-07-19T18:45:00.000-04:00

"This recipe is by Brett Greenberg, New York, NY. I found it HERE . It won a recipe contest. It looked kind of complicated, so I have had it in my "favorites" for a long time, but I finally decided to make it. I absolutely love french onion soup (check back for a recipe for that in the future), so this sounded fabulous to me. I am posting it "as is", but please check my notes at the bottom."

INGREDIENTS:

Topping:

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Bechamel Sauce:

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk or half-and-half

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces Gruyere, grated

3 ounces mozzarella grated

French Onion "Soup":

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 large white onions, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons honey

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup dry sherry

2 cups beef stock

8 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

1 pound pasta, cooked al dente (elbow macaroni, ziti, or fusilli work well)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Topping: Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl and set aside.

Bechamel Sauce: Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over low heat in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and stir to combine. Stir constantly, for about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium and whisk in the milk or half-and-half, adding a little at a time and cook until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Lower heat, season with the salt and pepper and add Gruyere and mozzarella cheeses. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Set aside.

French Onion "Soup:" Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add onions, cover, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove cover, add garlic and honey, and continue to cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized, about 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper. Remove pot from heat and add sherry. Return to heat and stir to remove browned bits from bottom of pan. Reduce sherry by half, then add stock and thyme and cook until almost all liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat.

Grease a 9x13 dish with nonstick cooking spray. Combine cooked pasta with onion "soup" mixture and bechamel sauce, and stir well to combine. Transfer pasta to baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumb/Parmesan topping.
Bake until top is golden brown and cheese is bubbly, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Notes:

-This recipe took me much longer to make than the listed 1 hour and 45 minutes. It took me all of that time just to prepare. One thing I would recommend is to make the bechamel sauce while the onions are cooking (which I didn't do). You could also grate the cheese earlier in the day (which I did). When I was cooking the onions the first time it took about 17 minutes. When I cooked them until carmelized it took about 25 minutes instead of 10-15. It also takes a while to cook down the sherry and beef stock.

-I have never used fresh thyme, so I didn't know if I was suppose to throw in the leaves with stems and leave them in, or maybe strain them out, so instead I pulled all of the leaves off (time consuming). I would definately use dried thyme next time.

Double Tomato Bruschetta

2008-07-19T18:30:00.001-04:00

"This was a really good bruschetta recipe. I loved the flavor! Check my notes below."

INGREDIENTS:

6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 French baguette
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven on broiler setting.
In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.
Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.
Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Notes:

-The recipe didn't say whether to use the oil in the oil-packed sundried tomatoes. I did not, and it was fine.

-I would recommend using a loaf large enough to produce enough surface for the tomatoes (mine was not.)

-I used roasted minced garlic from a jar

-I did not broil it. I baked the bread on 350 degrees without the tomatoes for five minutes and then baked with the tomatoes and cheese for another 10.

Avocado Feta Salsa

2008-07-18T15:59:00.003-04:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com. It sounded really good to me because I LOVE all of the ingredients. It was fabulous! I used red wine vinegar. I included the nutritional info at the bottom, however, I don't think it would feed 12 people."

INGREDIENTS:

2 plum tomatoes, chopped (I just used two small vine-ripened tomatoes)
1 ripe avocado - peeled, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley (I used 1/2 t. dried)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (I used 1/2 t. dried)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

DIRECTIONS:

In a bowl, gently stir together tomatoes, avocados, onion, and garlic. Mix in parsley and oregano. Gently stir in olive oil and vinegar. Then stir in feta. Cover, and chill for 2 to 6 hours.

Notes: You can omit the parsley and oregano and add cilantro for a more authentic salsa taste

Nutritional Information

Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 67
Total Fat: 5.8g
Cholesterol: 8mg
Sodium: 108mg
Total Carbs: 2.6g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Protein: 1.8g

Mulligatawny Soup

2008-07-18T08:13:00.004-04:00

"In my quest to find delicious soup recipes to add to my box, I came across this one on allrecipes.com. I love the flavor of curry, and indian food, so I couldn't wait to try this, especially since it got such rave reviews. Check my notes at the bottom for some tips."

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 apple, cored and chopped
1/4 cup white rice
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half - cut into cubes
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch dried thyme
1/2 cup heavy cream, heated

DIRECTIONS:

Saute onions, celery, carrot, and butter in a large soup pot. Add flour and curry, and cook 5 more minutes. Add chicken stock, mix well, and bring to a boil. Simmer about 1/2 hour.
Add apple, rice, chicken, salt, pepper, and thyme. Simmer 15-20 minutes, or until rice is done.
When serving, add hot cream.

Notes:

-Most people suggested doubling the recipe because the left-overs are even more delicious.

-double the apple (I peeled mine even though the recipe didn't call for it)

-the recipe doesn't say whether to cook the chicken ahead of time, so I did, and just used cooking spray as to not add extra fat.

-there didn't seem like enough rice, so I would double that, also, if you don't use minute rice, you may want to put it in longer than the 15 minutes (as suggested by others)

-you can use coconut milk instead of cream for a more exotic flavor. You can also omit the cream, or just use milk

-adding garlic gives it extra flavor. I added 1 clove of minced to the pan when I sauted the onions, carrots and celery

-some people suggested doubling the curry for more flavor (yellow curry)

-you can add a spice called "garam masala"

-you can puree the soup in a food processor to make it thicker. I didn't, but i would think the best time is before you add the chicken rice and apples ( I wish I would have)

Jen's Reuben Casserole

2008-07-16T16:52:00.004-04:00

"Growing up, our Christmas Eve tradition, for quite a few years, was to make reuben sandwiches. The thing that made them different than what you get at the restaurant was that we used Miracle Whip mixed with chili powder instead of 1000 Island salad dressing. My mom also used to make a reuben casserole, which I thought is much easier than assembling and baking the sandwiches. Here is my spin on what she used to make."

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/3 pounds deli corned beef, cut in small cubes or chipped
1 pound baby swiss cheese cut in small pieces
1 large jar (approx. 32 oz.) sour kraut, rinsed and drained well
1 1/2 cups Miracle Whip
2 teaspoons chili powder
12 oz. pumpernickel bread, chopped in large crouton sized chunks
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle meat and cheese pieces evenly into a greased 9x13 baking dish. In medium bowl mix sour kraut well with Miracle Whip and chili powder. Spread kraut mixture over meat and cheese in dish. Place bread chunks evenly over top of sour kraut mixture. Drizzle melted butter over bread chunks. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

Serves 6-8

Notes:

-I get my corned beef from the deli at the store. I tell them I want it in one large piece and I cube it myself.

-12 oz. of pumpernickle is about 3/4 of a half loaf (I buy the sliced half loaf and use all but about four slices)

-I wring out my sour kraut with my hands. If you like the stronger flavor, you don't have to rinse it.

Rhubarb Cheesecake

2008-07-15T17:39:00.004-04:00

"Another rhubarb recipe. I found this on allrecipes.com, but I made a few changes. It was suppose to be made in a 9 in spring form pan, but I don't have one (or know what one is) so I added more ingredients to fill a 9x13 dish. It also called for a sauce on top of sour cream sugar and vanilla, but I forgot to use it and it was awesome anyways, so I didn't include it. A review also suggested the pecan sandies as a crust instead of flour butter and sugar, so I included her/his suggestion. If you'd like to see the original follow this link: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Rhubarb-Cheesecake/Detail.aspx "

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:
1 package "Pecan Sandies Shortbread cookies"
1/2 cup butter

4 cups diced rhubarb
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
3/4 cups white sugar
3 eggs

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Crush cookies by putting them in a bag and pounding it with a rolling pin, or meat tenderizer utensil (flat side). Melt 1 stick butter. In medium bowl mix cookie crumbs with melted butter. Press into bottom of 13x9 inch baking dish. Bake for 7 minutes...

meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together the chopped rhubarb, 1 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons flour. Pour onto baked crust. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar until creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Pour over hot rhubarb in the pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until filling is set.

Jen's Hummus

2008-07-14T16:44:00.004-04:00

"I've had hummus from a lot of restaurants and stores, and I love it. I've even had hummus at a Turkish restaurant with cumin in it. I've never tried my own until now. It's slighty chunky."

INGREDIENTS:

1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained (reserve liquid)
1/3 cup tahini
3 tablespoons. lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 cloves garlic, minced (less if desired)
1 tablespoon olive oil

Topping:

a drizzle of olive oil
1 pinch paprika
1 teaspoon dried parsley

DIRECTIONS:
Place the garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt, olive oil and garlic in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add about 1/2 of reserved bean liquid to processor and blend (more if you want a thinner consistancy. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl.
Drizzle olive oil over the garbanzo bean mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley.

Serves 6-8

Crock Pot Chicken with Black Beans and Cream Cheese

2008-07-11T09:20:00.000-04:00

"I found this on recipezaar.com. The photo makes it look disgusting, but it was very tasty and made the kitchen smell fabulous!"

INGREDIENTS:

4-5 boneless chicken breasts
1 (15 1/2 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can corn
1 (15 ounce) jar salsa, any kind
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

DIRECTIONS:

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

Notes:

-I recommend adding pepper and garlic to taste.
-I added about 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese with the cream cheese.
-Is great served over chips, but would also be good served over rice or in a tortilla
-I thawed my chicken slightly and cut it in cubes before adding to crock pot/slow-cooker.

Jen's Creamy Potato Casserole

2008-07-09T13:19:00.000-04:00

"I wanted to take my mom's cheese potato recipe and put a spin on it. I didn't make as much quantity as that recipe, but it still feeds 4-6."

INGREDIENTS:

5 medium to large potatoes, diced (I left skins on)

1/2 stick butter (4 tablespoons) softened or melted

4 oz cream cheese, softened or melted

1 can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup sour cream

6 oz. shredded parmesan cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together in large bowl. Spray 9x9 or larger baking dish with cooking spray and put in potato mixture. Bake 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes (I poke potatoes with fork to see it they're done). Will be browned and bubbly on top.

Jen's Teriyaki Pork Chops with Veggies

2008-07-09T13:06:00.002-04:00

"I've been making this dish for a few years, but thought it was too simple to make into a recipe. I made it last night, so I thought I'd share."

INGREDIENTS:

4-5 boneless pork chops

2 cans pineapple chunks, drained

5 large carrots, sliced

1 green pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups teriyaki "baste and glaze" sauce (you can also use "KC Masterpiece honey teriyaki marinade")

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place chops in 9x13 baking dish. Surround pork with pineapple and veggies. Pour sauce over. Bake for 1 hour. Serve as is or over rice.

Lemon-Herb Marinade for Chicken

2008-06-23T15:42:00.006-04:00

"I got this recipe from a friend who found it in a cookbook. It is enough for four boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves."

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons brown sugar

4 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons thyme, oregano or rosemary (I used rosemary)

Mix all ingredients together in small bowl. Place chicken in dish and cover with sauce. Marinate in refridgerator for several hours or overnight. Chicken can be grilled, baked or sauted.

Jen's Taco Pizza

2008-06-23T12:45:00.001-04:00

"I've never tried making a taco pizza until now. I knew I didn't want refried beans on it because I'm not a fan of canned refried beans, so I decided to make the base a tomato sauce."

INGREDIENTS:

2 pre-made pizza crusts

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup diced onion

1 packet taco seasoning (I prefer Ortega)

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

4 oz can sliced black olives

2 -8 oz packages shredded cheddar cheese

diced tomato, shredded lettuce, sour cream and taco sauce for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Saute ground beef with onion; drain if necessary. Add taco seasoning (don't add water the seaoning package calls for), and tomato sauce. Stir until thickens. Spoon meat mixture onto crusts. Top with black olives and cheese. Bake for 15 minutes (alternating pans on shelves half way through). Garnish with diced tomato, lettuce, sour cream and taco sauce.

Devil's Food Layer Cake

2008-06-23T09:35:00.002-04:00

"Wow...let me say, one of the best chocolate cakes I've ever had. The cake is very moist and the frosting is awesome. I found this in a Family Circle magazine."

Cake:

INGREDIENTS:

4 oz. 82% extra dark chocolate

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup reduced fat (light) sour cream

3/4 cup milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Coat two 9 x 2-inch round baking pans with nonstick flour-and-oil baking spray.

2. Coarsely chop chocolate. Place in a small microwave-safe bowl with oil. Microwave on HIGH power for 1 minute; stir until smooth. If needed, heat an additional 15 seconds. Let cool slightly.

3. In medium-size bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Beat in melted chocolate mixture and vanilla.

4. Place sour cream in a 2-cup capacity measuring cup. Whisk in milk until smooth. On low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture, alternating with thinned sour cream, beginning and ending with flour; beat 1 minute. Spread into pans.

5. Bake at 325°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers tests clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool layers completely (about 2 hours).

Frosting:

INGREDIENTS:

1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
3 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS:

In large glass bowl, microwave chocolate chips on medium power for 30 seconds; stir. Microwave another 30 seconds until completely smooth. Let cool slightly. With mixer, blend 1-1/2 cups of the sugar with butter. Beat in sour cream, milk and then half of the chocolate until smooth. On low speed, beat in remaining sugar until blended; then beat in remaining chocolate. Continue to beat until good spreading consistency, about 1 minute.

Slice one of the cooled layers in half horizontally (insert toothpicks into sides of layer to use as guide). Repeat with other layer. Gently place one layer, cut-side down, on serving plate (layers will be tender). Spread top with 2/3 cup frosting. Repeat with remaining cake layers and frosting, ending with cake layer, cut-side down. Frost top and side of cake with remaining frosting. Refrigerate 1 hour, until firm.

NOTES:

-I only made a two-layer cake

-I only cooled about a total of an hour before frosting, and I didn't refridgerate before serving.

-I would recommend refridgerating it if you're not serving it right away...the frosting gets a lot thicker.

Pesto Cheesy Chicken

2008-06-16T15:34:00.005-04:00

"I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. The original recipe said to roll the chicken up and secure with toothpicks, baking for 45 minutes. I found this suggested alternative and I found it to be much easier. It was very tasty. I used store-bought pesto, but you can make your own. I included my favorite pesto recipe."

INGREDIENTS
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
1 cup prepared basil pesto
4 thick slices mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F . Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pesto sauce onto each flattened chicken breast. Place one slice of cheese over the pesto. Place in a lightly greased baking dish.
Bake covered for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until chicken is nicely browned and juices run clear. Then bake uncovered for an additonal 10 minutes

Pesto Recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
In a food processor, blend together basil leaves, nuts, garlic, and cheese. Pour in oil slowly while still mixing. Stir in salt and pepper.

Beef Tenderloin With Roasted Shallots

2008-06-14T11:51:00.002-04:00

"This dish took a while to make, but it was definately worth it. I couldn't find beef tenderlion at the store, so I used tenderlion steaks (filets). It is quite pricey to make, however. If you do mulitple steps at the same time (like make the sauce, fry the bacon and meat and roast the shallots at the same time), the preparation goes a lot faster. This photo does does not do the taste justice. The only ingredient I omitted (not listed) is watercress for a garnish. I found this on allrecipes.com."

INGREDIENTS
3/4 pound shallots, halved lengthwise and peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups beef broth
3/4 cup port wine
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 pounds beef tenderloin roast, trimmed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 slices bacon, diced
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In 9 inch pie pan, toss shallots with oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until shallots are deep brown and very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
In a large saucepan, combine beef broth and port. Bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until the volume is reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Whisk in tomato paste. Set aside.
Pat beef dry; sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. In a large roasting pan, set over medium heat on the stove top, saute bacon until golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Add beef to pan; brown on all sides over medium high heat, about 7 minutes.
Transfer pan to oven. Roast beef until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 125 degrees F (50 degrees C) for medium rare, about 25 minutes. Transfer beef to platter. Tent loosely with foil.
Spoon fat off top of pan drippings in roasting pan. Place pan over high heat on stove top. Add broth mixture, and bring to boil; stir to scrape up any browned bits. Transfer to a medium saucepan, and bring to simmer. Mix 1 1/2 tablespoon butter and flour in small bowl to form smooth paste; whisk into broth mixture, and simmer until sauce thickens. Whisk in remaining butter. Stir in roasted shallots and reserved bacon. Season with salt and pepper.
Cut beef into 1/2 inch thick slices. Spoon sauce over slices.

Chicken Pot Pie

2008-06-12T17:18:00.003-04:00

"I got this recipe from allrecipes.com. I really don't like chicken pot pie all that much, so I thought I'd try to find a recipe for it that had ingredients I like. I think the reason I haven't liked them in the past is that they had mixed vegetables in them. I am not a fan of peas, green beans or lima beans mixed into recipes. I just like them by themselves (excpet for lima beans...I don't like them at all. This is the original recipe, and I have noted my changes at the bottom. My hubby said (with my changes) that it was the best chicken pot pie he's ever had."

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease and flour a 2 quart casserole dish.
Place chicken breasts, onion, and poultry seasoning in a medium saucepan and add enough water to cover. Simmer over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Drain and dice chicken.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, onions, cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, Cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, mixed vegetables, mushrooms, and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Lay one sheet of pastry in bottom of greased and floured pan. Pour chicken mixture over pastry. Cover with second sheet of pastry. Seal edges of top and bottom pastries. Cut steam vents in top.
Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes, until pastry is golden brown.

-I omitted the mushrooms because my husband doesn't like them

-I used 1 1/2 cups broccoli and 1 1/2 cups carrots for the veggies. I pre-cooked the broccoli and then ran it through the food processor so the kids would be more likely to eat the small chunks

-I only used three large chicken breast halves. I diced it before I sauted it (adding a small amount of olive oil), and used about 1 tablespoon of Mrs. Dash "table blend" seasoning instead of "poultry seasoning".

-I covered the edge of the pie crust with foil for the first 35 minutes of baking.

Putzwutz

2008-06-11T18:59:00.002-04:00

"I found this on allrecipes.com. I am including the original recipe, and I'll put my changes in the notes at the bottom."

INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) package uncooked egg noodles
1 pound ground beef
1 pound pork sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 (1 pound) loaf processed cheese food, cubed
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (4 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the egg noodles, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, crumble the ground beef and pork into a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion to the meat once there are juices in the pan. Cook and stir until onion is tender and meat is no longer pink. Drain grease.
Transfer the meat and onion to a 9x13 inch baking dish, and mix in the egg noodles, cheese, tomato sauce, corn, green pepper and mushrooms.
Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbling hot and lightly browned on the top.

NOTES:

-I used a box of elbow macaroni because I don't like egg noodles

-I added 6 oz cream cheese

-I omitted the corn and mushrooms because they didn't sound good

-I only used 1/2 half green pepper (which I cooked along with the meat and onions)

-I added one large tomato

-I added 1/2 cup milk to make the sauce thinner

-I put the sauce ingredients into pot and melted together