Thursday, November 6, 2008

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I saw this recipe yesterday on My Kitchen Cafe's Blog I made it tonight for dinner, and it is AWESOME. I will definately be making this again. I made an extra dose of Sauce to drizzle on top and served with side of broccoli. I highly recommend this recipe!!!! Brad, my husbad thought it was really good too

Sweet and Sour Chicken
Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 2)
Salt and pepper (Omitted this part)
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup (used no salt added)
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt (used garlic powder)

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stove top. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Grilled pizza



I got this idea from the cooking board, but was scared to give it a try. When i was at the library the other day they had a recipe book for it.
We used a mix for the dough so all I had to do was add water and a little oil. Follow instructions on package
Heat Grill on high for 10 minutes
Sprinkle baking mat with corn meal, Roll dough out.
Brush crust with Oil Both Sides more is better than not enough.
Reduce Heat To medium
Place crust on grill from back to front, close lid and wait 3 minutes DO NOT open it early!
Remove crust from grill onto pizza peel or cookie sheets with no sides.
Top Pizza grilled side up, ungrilled side down, as you will be grilling this side of the dough next.
Place back on grill, turning middle burner off if you have 3 burner grill if you just have 2 burner, besure to rotate pizza in middle of grilling.
Close lid and wait about 7 to 10 minutes with 3 burner grill.
We put Pesto for our sauce, Tomatos, Spinach, Green Peppers and Mozerella Cheese. It was really good. The crust got a little over cooked but will try another one again soon.
Pizza on the Grill by Elizabeth Karmel & Bob Blumer

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Taco Soup

I got this idea from clstar on my cooking site I didnt have the ingredients, so i took the general idea and went with it. I will post my recipe, and the orginal. It was really good though. Great for a chilly day!
My version:
1/2lb Beef Stew meat
2 cans no salt added diced tomatos
4 Cups pinto, kidney, Black beans (i had some dried beans, it was about 1 cup of each i put in pot to soak)
4T chili powder
2tsp sumin
2tsp corriander
1tsp oregano
1/2tsp cayenne pepper
1/2tsp onion powder
1/2tsp garlic powder
2 1/2C frozen corn
1C water
15 oz crushed concentrated tomatos
Put everything in crockpot on low til meat is tender (6-8 hrs)

Orginal Recipe
Taco Soup
Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef (we sometimes use ground turkey)
2 packs taco seasoning
1 pack ranch dressing mix
1 can black beans
1 can dark kidney beans
1 can light kidney beans
1 can whole kernel white corn
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes (you can use another can of Rotel if you want a little more heat)cheese, sour cream, green onions and tortilla chips for garnish
Directions:

-In a large pot, add all of the canned ingredients (don't drain them).-Add one pack of taco seasoning and the ranch dressing mix. Set pot over medium-low heat. -Meanwhile, brown the ground beef (or turkey) and follow the directions on the taco seasoning pack.-Once the meat is browned and seasoning added, place the meat in the pot. Add a little water if you want to thin it out some. Don't worry, it won't take away from any of the flavor.-Bring to a boil and the reduce to medium-low.-Let simmer for thirty minutes or longer (or until you can't handle the delicious aroma coming from your kitchen and finally have to break down and eat some).-Serve with cheese, sour cream, green onions and tortilla chips (we love the blue corn ones).-Enjoy!

DinnerDivas Mexican Lasagna

One of the Dinner Divas Recipe this month was Rachel Ray's Mexican Lasagna, I didn't have all the right ingredients so I made my own recipe as i went. I used Chicken Breasts rather than Ground Chicken, and i put the tomatoes, beans, corn, and chicken in the crockpot with Seasonings to cook for the day so i would have shredded chicken to put into my lasagna in the evening when i was ready to make it.
Here is the orginal recipe.


Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground chicken breast, available in the packaged meats case (i used 2 chicken breasts)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 red onion, chopped (forgot to put it in)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained (used 2 1/2Cups, kidney, black, and pinto beans, left over from soup)
1 cup medium heat taco sauce or 1 (14-oz) can stewed or fire roasted tomatoes (no salt added diced tomatos)
1 cup frozen corn kernels
Salt (omitted)
8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas, available on dairy aisle of market (plain tortillas)
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack (colby jack)
2 scallions, finely chopped (omitted)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - twice around the pan. Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add taco sauce or stewed or fire roasted tomatoes. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.
(I put all that in the crockpot to cook for the day, using the whole breasts rather than ground chicken)

Coat a shallow baking dish (I used pie pan, then i didnt have to cut the tortillas) with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese.
Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with the scallions and serve.

FN crackling Fish Tacos, with Chipotle Tater Sauce



I just recieved the new Food Network magazine and I saw this recipe and it looked really good, Brad is always talking about fish tacos so i thought i would give them a try. To my surprise they were really good. A bit spicey but GOOD! Ingrid Crackling Fish Tacos with Chipotle Tater Sauce from Food Network Magazine


Ingredients
For the tartar sauce
:
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 to 2 chipotles in adobo sauce seeds removed, finely chopped (i only used 1 and it was spicey)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 scallion, white and light green parts only, finely chopped (omitted i didnt have any)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt (omitted)


For the tacos:
2 pounds skinless red snapper fillets (or other firm, flaky
white fish) (I used tilapia, and Grouper)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt (omitted)
teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
8 8-inch flour tortillas
1 cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeded and
sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups arugula leaves (just used regular iceburg lettece, all we had)
1 cup fresh cilantro (omitted)
Zest of 2 oranges (didnt have any oranges)
Lime wedges, for serving


Directions
Combine all the tartar sauce ingredients in a small bowl, using salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.


Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1-inch pieces and put in a bowl with the Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Turn the fish to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes or up to 4 hours.


Place the flour in a shallow dish and toss the fish pieces in it, a few at a time, until evenly coated. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. (To see if it's hot enough, place a small piece of bread in the oil; it should sizzle immediately.) Carefully add a few pieces of fish at a time, shaking off excess flour before placing them in the oil. Fry until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.


Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tortilla and warm for 10 to 20 seconds on each side. Place on a plate and cover with a kitchen towel; repeat with the remaining tortillas.


Spread a dollop of the chipotle tartar sauce on a warmed tortilla. Add a few pieces of cucumber and top with 3 or 4 pieces of fish, a few arugula and cilantro leaves and a little orange zest. Serve with lime wedges and more tartar sauce on the side.

The Chewy, Alton Browns Chocolate Chip Cookies

I went on the hunt on the cooking board to find a delish Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe to Send to a friend for helping me with my computer. This is the one i got Req's for, So i tried it they were pretty good. These are from Food Network, Alton Brown's The Chewy

Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (i used Dark chocolate)

Hardware:
Ice cream scooper (#20 disher, to be exact)
Parchment paper
Baking sheets
Mixer

Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container

I chilled the dough for about 30-45 minutes

Frozen strawberry Yogurt

I recieved an Ice Cream Maker from Brad for my birthday. This was my first choice to make

2-16oz pkgs Frozen Strawberries slightly thawed (or different fruit of choice)
2 -2lb containers Plain Yogurt (i used dannon light n fit)
1 1/2C Sugar
1 1/2C half n half (i used FF half n half)

Mash berries, combine remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until chilled. Mix well Pour into canister, Run ice cream maker.

My ice cream is frozen solid. I have learned if you cut too much fat out it will freeze solid like that. so when i am able to get some out of the container it is really good.

Baja Deluxe Burgers

I clipped this recipe out of the Newspaper. They were really good. I used ground turkey rather than the premade patties and marinaded the meat in the sauce over night, when i added an egg to the meat it got too runny and made it hard to form patties and keep them from falling thru the grill, but they still tasted good.

1C Lawry's Baja Chipolte Marinade
1/4C ketchup (I used no salt added ketchup)
2 Med portobella mushrooms, clean and stems removed
2 Med green and or yellow bell peppers quartered
6 hamburger patties
6 slices pepper jack or monterey jack cheese
6 hamburger buns

1. Combine 1/2 C lawry's baja chipotle marinade and ketchip. Pour remaining 1/2C marinade over mushrooms and peppers. Marinade in refrigerator 15 minutes.

2. Remove vegetables from marinade discarding marinade. Grill or broil Vegetables and burgers, turning once and brushing burgers with ketchup mixture until vegetables are tender and burgers are almost desired doneness.

3. remove vegetables from grill. Slice Top burgers with cheese cook until cheese melted.

4. Top buns with burgers and vegetables. Serve it desired with lettece, tomato and onion.

BBQ chicken Sammiches


I put some chicken breasts in the crockpot with BBQ sauce on moving day, then it was ready when we were ready to eat in the evening after a day of moving. Saved from having to order out! worked perfect.
2 chicken breasts
1/2 bottle BBQ of choice
1/2C water (unless chicken breasts are going in Frozen, then don't add water)
Cook on low for the day.
We had some good ol boxed mac n cheese with ours.

breakfast tacos

quick breakfast idea
I think i got the idea out of one of my cooking magazines but i cant find the recipe now.

4 scrambled eggs, with some Mrs. Dash seasoning. Cook and top part of eggs on tortilla shell. Top with some shredded cheese, and salsa.

black bean n pumpkin chili


I found this recipe in the Taste Of Home Oct/Nov 08 Magazine it was really good. A big sweet, i think that is because I used pumpkin pie instead if pure pumpkin. But it was still good.


1 med onion, chopped
1 med sweet yellow pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3T Olive Oil
3C chicken broth (low sodium vegetable broth)
2Cans black bean rinsed and drained (dried beans)
2 1/2C cubed cooked turkey (1/2lb ground turkey)
1Can solid pack pumpkin pure pumpkin, not pie mix
1Can diced tomatos UNdrained (no salt added)
3tsp dried parsley
2tsp Chili powder
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Salt (omitted)

In lrg skillet saute the onion, yellow pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Transfer to a 5 qt slow cooker, stir in remaining ingredients.
cover and cook on low for 4-5hrs or until heated thru.
10 Servings (2 1/2qts)

192 calories, 5g fat, 28mg cholesterol, 658mg sodium, 23g carbs, 7g fiber, 16g protien, Diabetic exchanges 2 very lean meat, 1-1/2 Starch, 1/2 fat

Monday, September 29, 2008

Roasted red pepper hummus

I dont remember where i got this recipe, but it's really good

4 whole wheat pitas cut into triangles
cooking spray
garlic powder
1 can chickpeas drained (regular sized can)
1C sauteed Red Peppers
1/4C tahini sauce
2T lemon juice
3-4 garlic cloves
1t cumin
2T fine chopped parsely

400*F season pita with garlic powder bake 6-8 minutes golden brown and crisp

Place can chickpeas in blender with red peppers, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and cumin. Process until smooth
Season to taste with salt and pepper
transfer to bowl top with parsely
serve with toasted pita triangles.

pasta salad

This is great for a picnic to the park on a hot day. Got the recipe out of taste of home magazine.

1 pkg (12oz) tricolor spiral pasta (I used wacky mac)
2C cubed part-skim mozzarella cheese (I used colby jack and some pepper jack)
2C cubed cooked chicken (I used terriyake and pineapple sausges instead, 2 of them)
1 lrg green pepper chopped
1 lrg sweet red pepper, chopped
1 C sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cans (2 1/4 oz each) sliced ripe olives, drained
6 green onions (i used red instead, and about 1/2C maybe)
1 pkg sliced pepperoni, halved (used turkeyroni, and only about 1/2pkg)
1/2C vegetable oil (Canola oil)
1/3C red wine vinegar ( i used red wine vinegar infused with pomegrant)
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt (omitted, had plenty of salt already)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Cook pasta according to directions. rinse with cold water and drain well. Place in large serving bowl, combine all meat and veggies.
Mix together seasonings, canola oil, and red wine vinegar. pour over salad and toss. refrigerate until serving.
Makes a lot!

Birthday Cake

Went to a new friends birthday party it was her 21st birthday so i made the cake, it actually turned out really but but very sugar loaded. I had a little trouble with the frosting since it was pretty warm in the kitchen, but after frosting some and then placing in the frig for a short time it turned out rather well. Still trying to find the inside picture, but it's a white cake and there is the blue frosting in between the 2 layers.
Found the recipe in my taste of home baking book

White layer cake

1/2C butter, softened

1 1/2C sugar

4 egg whites

2 tsp vanilla

2C flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/3C buttermilk (I didnt have any so i subbed 1 1/3C plain Lowfat Yogurt, worked great and tasted very moist.)

2 1/2C frosting of your choice (recipe below)


Directions
1. in large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg whites one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in Vanila. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternating with buttermilk/yogurt beating well after each addition.

2. spread evenly into 2 greased and floured 9 in round baking pans. Bake at 350* for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick is inserted near the center come out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. spread frosting between layders and over top and sides of cake.


Butter cream Frosting
from taste of home baking cook book

1/2C butter, softened
4 1/2C confectioners sugar
1 1/2tsp vanilla (I left out)
5 to 6 Tbsp Milk

in large bowl cream butter until light and fluffy. Beat in confectioners sugar and vanilla. Add enough milk to achieve desired consistency

oatmeal raisin yogurt cookies

I found this recipe on the lid of my yogurt container they were really good. I took some to meanttobewed for her birthday. I put the recipe as i made it a little different from the directions

1/2C WW flour
1/2C white flour
1C old-fashioned oats
1/2C firm packed brown sugar
1 1/2tsp double acting baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2C raisins
1C yogurt (vanilla or strawberry)
1lrg egg
2Tbsp canola oil

1. preheat oven to 375*
2. lightly grease 1/2C muffin tins or use paper liners. In bowl stir together flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and the raisins. in another bowl whisk together yogurt, egg and oil
3. Stir the yogurt mix into the flour mixture and stir the batter until it is just combined.
4. Divide the batter amoung 10 cavities and bake the muffins on the middle rack for 22-25 mintues

Yeild 10 muffins.

country potatoes au gratin



I got this recipe from cookinglight.com
this is my modified recipe these were really good.


Ingredients
1 teaspoons butter
1 medium onion (about 5 1/2 ounces), thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2/3 cup)
3 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (1 1/2 cups), divided
6 ounces diced ham (about 1 1/4 cups) (omitted)
1 1/2 pounds peeled baking potatoes, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1 T brown mustard
Cooking spray

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Combine milk, salt, pepper, and flour, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to pan. Bring to a simmer; cook until slightly thick (about 2 minutes), stirring frequently. Add 4 ounces cheese and ham, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in potatoes.
Place the potato mixture in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle potato mixture with remaining 2 ounces of cheese. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until lightly browned and potatoes are tender. Let stand 15 minutes before serving

Sunday, September 28, 2008

veggie ham Rice n cheese casserole


I found this recipe for Veggie Mac n cheese in my taste of home magazine and I thought i would make something of it. I cooked up some Brown Rice, I had some ham in the frig and some broccoli in the freezer that i cooked up.
I used the cheese sauce recipe from the magazine. This was really good and went quick at dinner time.
2 cups cooked brown rice
~1 1/2 C broccoli cooked if its frozen
1/2 Red Pepper cut into pieces
1/2 C corn
1/2 C ham
1T butter
1/4C flour
1C milk
1C chicken broth, low sodium I believe i used veggie broth
3C shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 dijon mustard I used spicey brown mustard
pepper
paprika
cook rice according to directions, cook broccoli according to directions
mix broccoli, peppers, & rice
place in 8x8 SPRAYED baking dish after cooked and drained
melt butter sprinkle in flour until blended gradually add in milk and broth. Bring to boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese and mustard, add pepper. Pour over rice, and veggies sprinkle some cheese and paprika
Bake uncovered @ 350* for 15-20 minutes or until heated thru.

chicken salad

I cooked up some chicken the night before in mrs dash seasoning. Added it to mixed spring greens in the morning, topped with some carrots, celery, mushrooms, tomatoes, and walnuts. and added a raspberry dressing at lunch time. was pretty filling and good.

Strawberry Yogurt Scones


Found this recipe on cookinglight.com it is a great one for breakfast in the morning, really moist and tastey!
I did cut the recipe in half as i wanted to make sure it would turn out and they would all get eaten. Here is the whole recipe though...
Yield
12 scones (serving size: 1 scone)
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup diced strawberries
2/3 cup strawberry fat-free yogurt
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons sugar
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.
Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Combine strawberries, yogurt, butter, rind, and egg white; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 4 times with floured hands. Pat into an 8-inch circle on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cut into 12 wedges, cutting into but not through dough; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 152 (20% from fat)
Fat: 3.3g (sat 1.9g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.3g)
Protein: 3.6g
Carbohydrate: 27.7g
Fiber: 1.5g
Cholesterol: 8mg
Iron: 1.1mg
Sodium: 227mg
Calcium: 78mg


Pasta Fagioli Soup

I got this recipe from Brown Eyed Bakers blog aka Chelly This soup is really good and makes a lot so you have plenty to freeze for work day lunchs or a cold rainy day.
I got this recipe recently in a recipe exchange, as a Rachel Ray Recipe, I will post her recipe at the end of this blog post so you can choose between hers or Chelly's recipe. Both look very good.




2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 package sweet Italian sausage, casings removed (i used Al Fresco Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage)
½ large (or 1 medium) onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
28 oz. can diced tomatoes (used no salt added)
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
64 oz. beef broth (used some veggie and some chicken, both low sodium)
28 oz. can tomato sauce (no salt added)
2 teaspoons dried parsley (I used 1Tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil (1/2T itlian seasoning, didnt have any basil)
1 teaspoon salt (omitted)
4 oz. small dry pasta (I used elbow)


1. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large stockpot over medium high heat, and brown the sausage, crumbling it as it cooks. Once brown, remove sausage from pot with a slotted spoon and discard any grease that remains in the pot.
2. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the same pot, and add the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery, and saute over medium heat until vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add sausage back to the pot, add the can of diced tomatoes (do not drain), stir briefly, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the beans, and add the beef broth and tomato sauce. Add in all of the seasonings, stir well, turn the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once it boils, turn down to low heat, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
4. Add the dry pasta and continue to simmer on low for another 30 minutes. Serve with your favorite bread or crackers.


Pasta e Fagioli ~ Rachel Ray
Yields 6 big servings
2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 pound (about 3 slices) pancetta, chopped
2 (4 to 6-inch) sprigs rosemary, left intact
1 (4 to 6-inch) sprig thyme with several sprigs on it, left intact
1 large fresh bay leaf or 2 dried bay leaves
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped (I usually omit this as small portions of celery are hard to come by and I don't eat the whole head if I buy it!)
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
Coarse salt and pepper
2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans
1 cup canned tomato sauce or canned crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
1 quart chicken stock
1 1/2 cups ditalini
Grated Parmigiano or Romano, for the table
Crusty bread, for mopping
Heat a deep pot over medium high heat and add oil and pancetta. Brown the pancetta bits lightly, and add herb stems, bay leaf, chopped vegetables, and garlic. Season vegetables with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomato sauce, water, and stock to pot and raise heat to high. Bring soup to a rapid boil and add pasta. Reduce heat to medium and cook soup, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes or until pasta is cooked al dente. Rosemary and thyme leaves will separate from stems as soup cooks. Remove herb stems and bay leaf from soup and place pot on table on a trivet. Let soup rest and begin to cool for a few minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and top with lots of grated cheese. Pass crusty bread for bowl mopping.

skillet potatoes

1 good sized sweet potato
1 good sized baking potato
Scrub well
slice into thin slices
put a little canola oil into frying pan on med heat, place potatoes in pan, cook until soft, add seasonings of choice. I use Mrs Dash usually tomato, garlic kind.

Baked fish

This is brad's recipe but it's very good.
1 egg, beaten
panko crumbs
lemon pepper seasoning, we like mrs dash

Roll the fish in the beaten egg
shake the fish in panko crumbs with the seasoning, or mix seasoning in a bowl with the lemon pepper and roll fish in the seasoning.
Cook on 375 for about 20 minutes i think is all it takes, works using fish that is frozen also, just cook a little longer.

Mississippi Hush Puppies



Found this recipe on cooking light for our movie night, these were really good i was sort of surprised.

Yield
1 1/2 dozen

Ingredients
1 cup self-rising cornmeal mix
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk or beer (i used soy milk)
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped (omitted)
Vegetable oil (canola oil)

Preparation
Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl, and make a well in center of mixture.
Combine egg and next 4 ingredients, stirring well; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches into a Dutch oven or large saucepan; heat to 375°.
Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls into hot oil, and fry in batches 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels; serve immediately

lasagna

6 lasagna noodles
cottage cheese
mozerella cheese
spaghetti sauce (I used my homemade sauce i had in the freezer)

Cook noodles according to package, drain and lay 3 noodles in a Sprayed 9x13 pan. Mix cottage cheese and mozzerella together, top noodles with mix. Lay 3 more noodles on top cottage cheese mix. Top with sauce, and top with cheese. Cover with foil bake for 45 minutes on 375. Uncover bake until cheese is golden.
Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Continue layers and cook more noodles for a thicker lasgna.

Shrimp Quesadillas



We had movie night with some friends and we made these to go with the corn dogs, and hush puppies. they were pretty good. I prefer mine without the shrimp.

2 tortilla shells spray one side with cooking spray place in warm skillet, top with cheese, veggies of choice and shrimps, place other shell on top sprayed with cooking spray side up, flip half way between cooking.

we used red onions, tomatoes, and shrimps, with mozzerella cheese

oven baked corn dogs

I got this recipe from Rachel Ray off Food networks sight. These were very hard to get the dough to form around them, but they were really good.

Ingredients

2 boxes corn muffin mix, 8 1/2 ounces each (recommended: Jiffy brand) i used store brand
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 tablespoon chili powder, eyeball it in your palm
2 teaspoons cumin, eyeball it
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper sauce (recommended: Tabasco or Frank's Red Hot) I just used a dash of cayenne pepper
2 scallions, finely chopped omitted
8 jumbo pork or beef franks

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a shallow dish, combine muffin mix with flour, then stir in eggs, milk and melted butter. Season the mix with chili powder, cumin, cayenne and scallions.
The batter will be a thick, sticky biscuit dough. Place a hot dog in the bowl of batter and swoosh it around to coat it. Remove coated dog to a nonstick cookie sheet and use your fingers to spread batter on any exposed dog spots. Don't coat it too thick, just shy of 1/2-inch should do the trick. If it's too thick it will just slide off the dog while it's baking, leaving the dog exposed. If that happens don't sweat it, they will still taste great.
Repeat until all 8 are coated.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until evenly deep brown all over.

Cuban Pork Chop Rub


Time again for yet another recipe exchange. I'm a little late getting this posted, but it certainly was really good.
Cuban Rub

2 tablespoons grated lime zest (didnt have any limes so i used lemon, still tasted good)
1 tablespoon cumin seed or ground cumin
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (I omitted as always)
2 tablespoons EVOO
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 boneless pork loin or rib chops, about 1 inch thick (about 2 pounds)

Mango slices, if desired


1. Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat. Remove excess fat from pork. In small bowl, mix all Cuban Rub ingredients; rub evenly on both sides of pork.

2. Cover and grill pork 4 to 6 inches from medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, turning frequently, until pork is no longer pink and meat thermometer inserted in center reads 160°F. Garnish with mango slices.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

My little came over and we decided to make buffalo chicken pizza, made it a little different this time.

roll out crust
Sauce
Top with blue cheese dressing and about 1/4C ricotta cheese mixed together
Top with Chicken that has been cooked in fry pan with hot sauce (we use Crystal brand)
Top with Veggies of choice, mushrooms, red onion, green peppers, tomato
Top with cheese, we used colby and montery jack, and some mozerella
Cook on 425 until cheese is browned.
let cool for about 5-10 minutes before cutting into.

BBQ Beef Ribs


I placed these frozen into the crockpot on low with grape jelly on them. cooked on low for about 4-5 hrs, then i mixed

2t worchestshire sauce

1/2C honey

1/2c spicey brown mustard

2T BBQ sauce

placed ribs onto the grill basting in sauce as they cook for a few minutes. i think i only had them on for about 5 min per side.

Open faced Chicken and muenster Sandwhiches with Apricot-Dijon Spred


Yet another cookinglight recipe. These were really good. i didn't have any muenster cheese so i used swiss and pepperjack, one of each i have to say much better with the swiss cheese, but really really good.
Ingredients
4 teaspoons apricot preserves
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard (i used spicey brown mustard)
4 (2-ounce) slices country bread (used dark wheat bread)
Cooking spray
1 cup thinly sliced peeled Ambrosia or Fuji apple (about 1/3 pound)
1/4 cup prechopped onion
2 1/2 cups bagged prewashed spinach
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast (about 12 ounces)
4 (1-ounce) Muenster cheese slices
Preparation
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Combine preserves and mustard in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Spread 1 side of each bread slice with 2 teaspoons mustard mixture. Place bread slices, mustard mixture side up, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add apple and onion to pan; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach begins to wilt. Layer each of 4 bread slices with 1/4 cup spinach mixture, 1/2 cup chicken, and 1 cheese slice. Place sandwiches on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; broil 1 1/2 minutes until cheese is bubbly. Remove from heat, and serve immediately.
Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwhich)
Nutritional Information
CALORIES 440(27% from fat); FAT 13.2g (sat 6.3g,mono 3.8g,poly 1.4g); IRON 3.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 100mg; CALCIUM 286mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40g; SODIUM 750mg; PROTEIN 38.7g; FIBER 2.4g

cider glazed carrots

found this recipe on cookinglight.com
this was really good.
I added come chopped mushrooms to the mix b/c i had a lot in the frig. i just used 2 XL carrots and sort of just estimated the rest of the recipe. I subbed ground ginger for the mustard and it was really good.

Ingredients
9 cups (3-inch) julienne-cut carrot (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard (i didnt have any so i used ground ginger)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Preparation
Place carrot in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 1 minute or until tender. Drain.
Combine brown sugar and remaining ingredients except parsley in a large nonstick skillet over low heat; cook until butter melts, stirring frequently. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium; add carrots. Cook 3 minutes or until carrots are glazed and thoroughly heated, stirring constantly. Sprinkle with chopped parsley; toss to combine.

Yield
12 servings (serving size: about 2/3 cup)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 75(26% from fat); FAT 2.2g (sat 1.2g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.2g); IRON 0.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 5mg; CALCIUM 31mg; CARBOHYDRATE 14g; SODIUM 103mg; PROTEIN 1g; FIBER 2.8g

honey mustard Chicken wings, Crock pot

I used 1/2 C Honey, with about 1/2 C spicey brown mustard, mixed together and thrown in the crockpot over some frozen chicken wings, cooked on low heat for about 5 hours, then places in the oven on a cookie sheet to crisp up a little bit. just put oven on broil and watch closely, doesn't take long.

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Found this recipe on cookinglight.com
the taste was a little bland but they were still good.

Ingredients
6 medium red bell peppers
1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped shallots
4 cups chopped mushrooms
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
3 tablespoons dry sherry (i omitted b/c i didn't have any, used a little veggie broth)
1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
2 1/2 cups hot cooked brown rice
1 cup tomato juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese


Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.
Cut tops off bell peppers; discard seeds and membranes. Cook peppers in boiling water 5 minutes; drain.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add parsley, almonds, sherry, and chile powder; sauté 3 minutes. Add rice, tomato juice, black pepper, garlic powder, and salt; sauté 3 minutes. Spoon 3/4 cup rice mixture into each bell pepper. Top each bell pepper with 2 teaspoons cheese. Place stuffed bell peppers in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish; bake at 350° for 15 minutes.


Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed pepper)
writeNutrient();
Nutritional Information
CALORIES 234(23% from fat); FAT 5.9g (sat 1.2g,mono 2.9g,poly 1.3g); IRON 3.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 3mg; CALCIUM 112mg; CARBOHYDRATE 39.2g; SODIUM 402mg; PROTEIN 8.4g; FIBER 6.7g

Pigs n Blanket


1 pkg crescent rolls, 1 package hot dogs, sliced cheese
take 1 crescent roll and lay flat on sprayed cooking sheet, place 1 slice cheese on it, and a hot dog, roll up
continue with rest of the hotdogs and crescent rolls.
Bake on 350* until golden brown.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

NEW DISHES!!!!!



After all the talk about new dishes on the cooking forum today. I got brad to go on a new dishes hunt with me. I found these at Pier 1. I couldn't find them on the website though. I only got 2 plates and 2 bowls for now will continue to add to the collection as i get a little more money.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Chicken Cobb Burger Turned Turkey



LaKi and I from the nest decided to start a cooking group, called Dinner Divas, with no restrictions, and no expectations, only that you try your best i guess. I picked the first recipe from Food Networks Bobby Flay I choose the Chicken Cobb Burger I made mine with ground turkey b/c that is what i had around the house and it was a little cheaper than the chicken. I have to say i think this is just about the best burger i have ever had. I couldn't get it to stack very well on the bun as you can see.
I think the vineg would be great on a salad, I Think i will make some just to have around. It Was Awsome. I hope you all have fun with this recipe and you make some good looking burgers.
For the burgers:
8 (1/2- thick) strips bacon
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken, 90 percent lean (I used ground turkey 93% lean)
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt (I omitted)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
4 burger buns, split
1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 slices
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 8 slices

For the vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (used lemon juice from bottle)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (used spicey brown mustard, gave it a nice kick)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (omitted)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil (canola oil)
1 cup finely shredded romaine lettuce

Directions:
For the burgers:

Heat the grill to medium.
Place the strips of bacon on the grill (lay them across the grate so they don't fall through) and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Increase the heat of the grill to high. (Brad said there was no way I was cooking bacon on the grill and making it into a greasy mess, so i cooked it on the stove in a pan)
Form the meat into 4 (8-ounce) burgers, brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the burgers until golden brown on both sides and cooked completely through, about 5 minutes per side. Top the burgers with the blue cheese, close the cover, and continue cooking until the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute longer.
Place the burgers on the bottom half of each bun and top with a slice of tomato, 2 slices of avocado, 2 slices of bacon and some of the dressed romaine. Cover each burger with the bun tops and serve.

For the vinaigrette:
Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and oil in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld.
Just before assembling the burgers, place the romaine in a medium bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

Peanut Butter Swirled Brownies


I use this brownie recipe from Hersheys Website all the time, Quick easy and tastey . This time I thought why not add Peanut butter, what is better than chocolate and peanut butter together. So i had brad melt about 1/2C PEanut butter in the microwave to soften it up. and after I poured the batter into the pan I drizzled the peanut butter ontop and baked as directed.

Best Brownies Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts(optional)


Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. drizzle peanut butter ontop of brownie, and then run knife thru to get some peanut butter into the batter.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Chai Brined Shrimp Skewers

I saw this recipe on the Front of Cooking light a couple months ago and thought it looked really good. If you buy the shrimp from the counter don't forget to take the shells and tails off before marinating. haha i kinda wondered why they looked funny til i asked 20 minutes later.
Ingredients
3 cups water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt (I omitted)
2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon white peppercorns, crushed (I used ground it worked fine)
8 whole cardamom pods, crushed
6 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick, broken
2 tablespoons black tea leaves (such as Darjeeling) (I couldn't find these so u just use a tea bag, seemed to work ok.)
1 cup ice cubes
32 peeled and deveined large shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 large peeled ripe mangoes, each cut into 8 (2-inch) pieces
'Cooking spray
1/2 cup sliced green onions
8 Indian flatbreads (naan)

Preparation
1. Combine first 9 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in tea leaves; simmer 2 minutes. Strain mixture through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Stir in ice; chill.
2. Add shrimp to water mixture; chill 20 minutes.
3. Prepare grill.
4. Remove the shrimp from bowl; discard liquid. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Thread 4 shrimp and 2 mango pieces alternately onto each of 8 (12-inch) skewers.
5. Place the skewers on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill for 2 minutes on each side or until the shrimp are done. Sprinkle with sliced green onions. Serve with flatbread.


Note: As pictured on the cover, you can use smaller skewers. Simply thread two shrimp alternately with two mango chunks, and serve guests two skewers each. You'll need to purchase an extra mango (which minimally increases the calories per serving) if you opt for this presentation.

Yield
8 servings (serving size: 1 skewer and 1 piece flatbread)
writeNutrient();

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 306(16% from fat); FAT 5.3g (sat 2.9g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.6g); IRON 3.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 97mg; CALCIUM 63mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45.5g; SODIUM 497mg; PROTEIN 20.4g; FIBER 5.1g


Garlic Bread




We got this Cuban at Sam's Club for 84 cents the other day and forgot about it so we sliced some up spread some butter and sprinkled with garlic powder, oregano and parsely, put on the grill for a couple minutes. Turned out really good.

Dark Chocolate MM "blizzard"



4 scoops Vanilla Ice Cream

about 1/2 C Dark Chocolate MM

Place in mixing bowl and turn on, Be careful the scoops will fly out of the bowl if they are frozen solid.

Mix well and dish up. Delious.

Kung Pao Chicken

I found this recipe on Cookinglight.com It was really good i think i will make it again. I'm always looking for ways to cut salt back in my diet So for a Asian Dish this is rather low in Sodium. I forgot to put the peanuts on the dish before serving.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
4 cups broccoli florets
1 tablespoon ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World), divided
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped salted peanuts

Preparation
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and 2 teaspoons ginger to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add water. Cover; cook 2 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Remove broccoli from pan; keep warm.
Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in pan; add remaining 1 teaspoon ginger, crushed red pepper, and chicken. Cook 4 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned, stirring frequently.
Combine broth and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, and stir with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Return broccoli mixture to pan; toss to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts.


Yield
4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup chicken mixture and 1 1/2 teaspoons peanuts)
writeNutrient();

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 239(30% from fat); FAT 7.9g (sat 1.1g,mono 3.7g,poly 2.3g); IRON 1.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 60mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.4g; SODIUM 589mg; PROTEIN 30.9g; FIBER 3g

Buffalo Chicken Sub


I had some left over chicken from the buffalo chicken pizza, So I put it on a sub bun with some Swiss Cheese, Green Peppers, Mushrooms, and topped with Blue Cheese Dressing, It was pretty good.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Buffalo Chicken Pizza


We were going to make grilled pizza but since the rain just won't stay away today we decided to make pizza in the oven. Brad had choice between Buffalo Chick pizza or Pepperoni and Sausage. This is what he Chose. He said this was the best pizza ever. It wasn't too spicey b/c i didn't put extra sauce onto the pizza I Think next time i will put a little more hot sauce on his side.
Be careful not to put too much hot sauce or it will be greasy and runny.
Original Recipe had scallions and no veggies.

I got this idea from Oct11 on the nest, I dont believe she has the recipe on her blog, but with a little modification This is what i came up with.

1 ball pizza dough
1lb Chicken
1/2C-1C Louisana Hot Sauce
1 Tbsp Butter
Green Peppers
Mushrooms
Red Onion
1 Pkg Mozerella Cheese
1 jar Marias Blue Cheese Dressing (in frig section)

Cook Chicken in Hot Sauce I would say i used about a 1/2C no more than 1C. and 1 Tbsp Butter.
While chicken is cooking, Wash and cut up veggies.
Place Dough onto pan and spread out. Put 1/2 of Moz cheese on top of dough, Put Blue Cheese Dressing ontop of Moz cheese. I just put dollops all around the crust. I used almost the whole container of dressing. Put Veggies ontop of Blue Cheese. Sprinkle Cooked Chicken ontop of the Veggies. Top of With remainder of Cheese.

Bake in oven on 450* until Cheese golden. Enjoy!