The Chefs Hat

Lamb Enchiladas with Salsa

2012-01-15T16:35:00.000-06:00

3/4 pound lean ground lamb
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped celery
8 6 inch tortillas
1/2 cup diced green onions
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese (2 oz)
Lite sour cream
1 jar green or red salsa

In a skillet, cook lamb, garlic, green pepper and celery until no pink remains and vegetables are crisp and tender. Drain well.

Soften tortillas according to package directions. Spoon meat mixture onto each tortilla dn roll up. Place the tortillas seam side down in a 11 x 17 baking dish. Top with salsa and cover with foil

Bake in preheated 350 oven for 20 minutes.

Uncover, sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven for 5 minutes to melt cheese.

Garnish with sour cream and diced onions.

The cake

2011-06-20T19:47:00.000-05:00

Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream Sandwiches

2011-05-29T11:52:00.001-05:00

Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream Sandwiches

1 18-ounce roll of refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons preserves (strawberry or raspberry)

1 pint of vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Knead flour into the cookie dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 13 1/2- by 9-inch rectangle. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares. Transfer to ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm and tops are browned. Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

Place 1 teaspoon preserves on flat side of 1 cookie. Place a small scoop of ice cream (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) on top of the preserves. Top with another cookie, flat side down, and press lightly. Repeat with remaining cookies, jam and ice cream. If there are extra cookies, eat them or freeze them for later use. Wrap ice cream cookies in plastic wrap and freeze for four to 48 hours.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

2011-05-29T11:51:00.002-05:00

Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups skim milk

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup egg substitute

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking spray (or paper muffin liners)

1/4 cup strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine flours, sugars, baking powder and salt in a large bowl; stir until well blended. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk, peanut butter, egg substitute, melted butter and vanilla. Add to well of flour mixture and stir just until the mixture is moist.

Line muffin cups with paper muffin cups or spray with cooking spray. Spoon batter into the muffin cups filling each cup 1/3 full with batter. Place 1 teaspoon of jam into each cup. Spoon remaining batter on top to cover jam.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Let cool in pan 5 minutes then remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Wraps

2011-05-29T11:51:00.000-05:00

Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Wraps

1/2 cup peanut butter

4 tortillas (8 to 10 inches in diameter)

1/4 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 small bananas, halved and sliced lengthwise

1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey and cinnamon. Spread 2 tablespoons of the peanut butter evenly over each tortilla.

Top with a banana slice and chocolate chips. Roll up tortillas and serve.

Peanut Butter Recipe

2011-05-29T11:50:00.003-05:00

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

1 stick (1/4 pound) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups strawberry preserves

2/3 cup salted peanuts

2/3 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a 9- by 13-inch baking pan.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Lower speed; add egg, vanilla and peanut butter and beat until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture. Mix until just combined. Set aside 1/2 cup of the dough mixture.

Press dough into an even layer in the prepared pan. Spread preserves over dough. Crumble the reserved 1/2 cup dough over preserves and then sprinkle with peanuts and peanut butter chips.

Bake until golden and bubbly, 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and cut into bars.

Onions

2011-05-29T11:43:00.000-05:00

Caramelized Vidalia Onion Dip
2 large onions Vidalia onions, sliced into ¼ inch rings
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise

Cut the onions in half root end to stem end. Remove the papery outer layer. Slice the onions into 1/8-inch-thick half-rounds.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Melt the butter in the pan and then add the oil. Add the onions, cayenne, salt and pepper and sauté for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 40 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cook until the onions are browned and caramelized. (Do not stir too often or the onions won’t brown.) Stir in the Dijon and balsamic vinegar and cook another 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise until smooth and well blended. Stir in the onions. Serve with potato chips, crackers or put into celery.

Sweet & Sour Vidalia Onions and Cucumbers
3 cups peeled, seeded and thinly sliced cucumbers
1-1/2 cups thinly sliced Vidalia onions
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried dillweed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a medium bowl toss together cucumbers, onions and carrots, set aside.

In a small bowl combine vinegar, sugar, dill, 2 tablespoons water, salt and black pepper. Pour over cucumber mixture, toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Oven-Baked Spicy Vidalia Onion Rings
½ cup of self-rising cornmeal mix
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon of paprika
3 large Vidalia onions sliced into ¼ inch rings
¼ cup of buttermilk
2 to 3 tablespoons butter, melted or non-stick cooking spray
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated parmesan cheese (if desired)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease baking sheet with spray. Combine meal, pepper and paprika in a plastic bag.

Dip onion slices in buttermilk and place in the plastic bag with mixture. Seal and shake until well coated. Place in a single layer on the pan. Drizzle with melted butter or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and turn slices over with spatula. Return to the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more or until browned and crisp. Remove from pan and place onion rings on paper towels to drain any oil off of them. Add salt and pepper to taste. If desired, sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top. Serve hot.

Julia Child’s French Onion Soup Recipe

2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup olive oil
3 lbs onions, halved and sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced very fine
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 cups dry white wine
6 cups beef stock or chicken stock (the beef will make a darker, more robust soup)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 toasted slices of French baguettes, 1/2 inch thick (or French bread)
2 cups Swiss cheese, grated
6 teaspoons Parmesan cheese, grated

In a large saucepan over medium heat melt the butter and oil together. Add the onions, garlic, and sugar. Saute until slightly colored, stirring occasionally (don't stir too much - you want the onions to brown), for 7 to 10 minutes.

Add the white wine, turn the temperature up to medium high, and bring to a boil. Lower temperature back down to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Add the stock. Turn the temperature up to medium high, once the mixture starts to simmer, lower the temperature to keep the mixture at the simmering point. Simmer uncovered for 90 minutes (one and a half hours).

At this point you can freeze the soup for later use. If you are ready to serve the soup – ladle the soup into ovenproof bowls (this recipe makes 6 servings so you will need 6 bowls). Place two slices of toasted baguette (or French bread) onto of each soup bowl. Sprinkle each with 1/3 cup of the Swiss cheese and 1 teaspoon of Parmesan cheese. Place soup bowls onto a baking sheet and place in oven under a preheated broiler. Broil until the cheese melts. Make sure to watch the soup carefully at this point. Depending on how hot your broiler is, this step can take anywhere from 30 to 90 seconds.

Asparagus Recipes

2011-04-10T13:08:00.000-05:00

Asparagus with Citrus Dressing
1 pound asparagus
5 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Break off tough ends of asparagus as far down as stalks snap easily. Wash thoroughly. Remove scales if sandy or tough. Put 5 cups water and 1 teaspoon of the salt in large, deep skillet and bring to a boil.
Add the asparagus spears. Boil, uncovered, 4 to 5 minutes for thin spears, or 6 to 9 minutes for thick spears. Cook until the asparagus is still slightly crisp. Drain well. Transfer the asparagus to serving plate.
Combine the orange juice, lemon juice, sugar, mustard, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper in jar with tight fitting lid; shake well. Add oil; shake well again. Pour as dressing over warm asparagus. Serve at room temperature.
Note: This can also be served cold. Chill asparagus, but do not top with dressing until just prior to serving.

Asparagus Mimosa
2 pounds fresh asparagus
2 hard-boiled eggs
3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried chervil, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried chives
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Break off tough ends of asparagus as far down as stalks snap easily. Wash thoroughly. Remove scales if sandy or tough. Bring small amount of water to a boil in Dutch oven or skillet. Place asparagus in steamer basket; cover. Steam just until tender (5-6 minutes). Spread out to dry on paper towels.

Cover the asparagus and place in refrigerator. Buzz hard-boiled eggs in a blender until chopped, soft and fluffy; stir in herbs. Cover and refrigerate. Combine vinegar and mustard; gradually add in the oil. Add salt and pepper.

To serve: Arrange chilled asparagus on serving platter; drizzle half of vinegar-oil mixture over asparagus. Sprinkle egg mixture down center of asparagus; serve remaining dressing on the side.

Asparagus and Crab Salad

2 cups cut-up fresh asparagus
12 ounces crab meat (fresh or canned)
1 (10-ounce) bag lettuce mix (a spinach mix works well)
1 cup cantaloupe cut into ½ inch pieces
1 cup sliced seedless cucumber

For the dressing:
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
For Dressing, combine all ingredients; mix well. Set aside.

Steam or boil the asparagus until it is tender-crisp. Drain and let cool. Cut crab into bite-size pieces. Combine asparagus and crab in a large bowl. Add the cantaloupe and cucumber to the mix. Place the lettuce mix on six individual serving dishes. Divide the asparagus/crab mixture among the dishes. Pour a small amount of dressing over each dish. Then let each person add additional dressing as desired.

Roasted Asparagus
1 pound of asparagus
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated or shaved Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Trim the woody ends from the asparagus. Wash thoroughly and dry on paper towels. Spread the spears in a single layer on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roll the asparagus spears around on the sheet so all sides are coated. .

Roast the asparagus until lightly browned and tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. About halfway through the cooking time, take the pan out and turn the asparagus. After cooking, remove from oven, arrange the roasted asparagus on a serving platter and top with the Parmesan cheese. Serve either warm or at room temperature.

Ham Asparagus Wraps
8 asparagus spears
4 flour tortillas
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 slices of ham
4 slices Havarti cheese

Steam or boil the asparagus until it is tender-crisp. Remove from cooking pan and place in ice water to stop the asparagus from cooking. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
If desired, place tortillas in a frying pan and cook for 10 to 15 seconds per side to soften them. Spread mayonnaise and mustard on tortillas. Place a slice of ham and cheese on each tortilla, place 2 asparagus spears on each tortilla and roll up burrito

Reuben Sandwich

2011-04-07T10:04:00.000-05:00

Reuben Sandwich
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 (16 oz) bag coleslaw mix
salt and white pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
8 slices hearty rye bread
8 slices Swiss cheese
1 pound thinly sliced corned beef
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, place baking sheet on rack and heat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Bring vinegar and sugar to boil in large skillet over medium heat. Stir to dissolve sugar, add coleslaw, cover and cook, tossing occcasionally, until coleslaw is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove lid and simmer until liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Combine mayonnaise and mustard in small bowl. Spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise mixture on each bread slice. Layer 1 slice cheese, 1/2 cup coleslaw, 1/4 pound corned beef and 1 slice cheese on top of bread slice. Top with second slice of bread and compress sandwich with your hands. Repeat to make three more sandwiches. Brush tops and bottoms of sandwiches with melted butter.

4. Transfer sandwiches to preheated baking sheet. Bake until toasted, about 10 minutes.

Cake, Just Cake

2011-02-14T18:32:00.002-06:00

Butter Rum Fudge

2010-12-10T07:55:00.003-06:00

Butter Rum Fudge

4 cups sugar
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 cup butter or 1 cup margarine
1 tablespoon butter (to grease the pan)
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 pint marshmallow cream
1 teaspoon rum flavoring (more if you like stronger rum flavor)
3/4 cup broken walnuts
3/4 cup broken pecans

Note: Because the chocolate is melted once you remove the pan from the stove, you do not need to use a double boiler. Use a heavy saucepan instead of a double boiler.

Prepare a 9-inch square baking pan by lining it with foil or waxed paper and then greasing with 1 tablespoon of butter. Mix the sugar, milk and 1 cup butter in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat. Stir constantly. If you have a candy thermometer cook until it is 236 or until the mixture can form soft balls. Be prepared, this step can take 20-30 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the chocolate pieces, marshmallow cream, rum flavoring, walnuts and pecans. Stir until the chocolate is melted and well blended. Pour into the prepared pan. Cool and cut into squares.

Soup Recipes

2010-11-07T10:06:00.000-06:00

In a large soup kettle or Dutch oven, melt the butter. Stir in flour; heat and stir until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring until thickened.

Add potatoes and onions, Bring to a boil; stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; stir until cheese is melted. Add ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.

Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.

Chicken Ravioli Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. raw chicken, medium diced
½ teaspoon. dry thyme
¼ teaspoon dry sage
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup onion, small diced
1 cup carrot, small diced
1 cup celery, small diced
¾ cup red bell pepper, medium diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken broth (use low sodium if you are trying to cut down on salt)
½ cup frozen peas
½ lb. frozen cheese ravioli
Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot, over medium high heat. Add the chicken, thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Sauté for 4 to 8 minutes, or until completely cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the pot. When the butter is completely melted, add the onion, carrot, celery and red bell pepper. Cook the vegetables for 3 to 6 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Increase the temperature to medium high heat. Add the cooked chicken and chicken broth to the pot, and bring to a boil. Slowly add the ravioli and peas to the boiling liquid. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the ravioli is cooked through.

Bacon and Egg Soup

From the Foodnetwork.com

1/2 pound slab or thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

4 slices rustic Italian bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cloves garlic, smashed

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 1/4 cups grated parmesan cheese, plus 1 small piece rind

4 tablespoons torn fresh parsley

4 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 375. Cook the bacon in a medium pot over medium heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate with a slotted spoon, then discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings from the pot. While the bacon cooks, toss the bread cubes with the olive oil on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden and crisp, about 8 minutes.

Add the garlic to the bacon drippings and cook until slightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth, 1 1/2 cups water, the parmesan rind and 2 tablespoons parsley; season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.

Adjust the heat so the broth is barely boiling. One at a time, crack each egg into a small bowl and gently slip into the broth. Poach until just set, about 2 minutes. Transfer the eggs with a slotted spoon to individual soup bowls. Stir 1 cup parmesan and the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley into the broth and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the broth into the bowls and top with the croutons, bacon and the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan.

Lunch Recipes

2010-11-07T10:03:00.003-06:00

Roasted Red Peppers and Basil Tuna Sandwich

2 (6-ounce) cans chunk light tuna packed in water, drained

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup jarred roasted red peppers, thinly sliced

¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

12 slices pumpernickel or rye bread (or use your favorite wheat bread)

In a medium bowl, combine tuna, olive oil, pepper, red peppers, salt, basil and vinegar. Spread the mixture on bread.

Cherry Pecan Chicken Salad

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, fully cooked and diced or shredded

3 green onions, sliced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ cup pecan pieces

½ cup pitted and sliced fresh cherries
Rye or wheat bread (if desired)

In a large bowl, combine chicken, green onions, parsley, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Place pecans in a dry skillet and toast over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes, until you can smell the pecans toasting. Cool.

Drain the cherries on a paper towel. Put a second paper towel on top and blot to remove additional liquid. Fold cooled pecans and cherries into the chicken salad. The salad can be eaten as is or placed on your favorite bread.
Roast Beef and Cheese Wrap
2 ounces deli style roast beef (or use leftover roast)
Cheddar or Swiss cheese slices
2 teaspoons honey mustard
2 tortillas
¼ cup shredded carrot
1 tablespoon raisins
Spread mustard over the tortillas. Layer the cheese, roast beef, carrots and raisins on top of the tortillas. Tightly roll up and cut in half. Wrap with plastic or place in Tupperware containers. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Broccoli-Chicken Muffins

2 cups baking mix ( such as Bisquick)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 large eggs, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped cooked broccoli
1 cup chopped cooked chicken

Preheat oven to 425. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in the center of mixture. Combine egg, buttermilk, and oil; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Stir in broccoli and chicken.

Spoon into greased muffin pan, filling to top. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. If you are not going to eat the muffins in the next day or so they can be frozen.

Zesty Turkey Sandwich Wrap

2 cups finely chopped cooked turkey

1/4 cup sliced green onion

1/4 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomato

1/2 cup prepared ranch salad dressing

Salt & pepper to taste

Lettuce leaves

6 flour tortillas (7-inch diameter)

Mix together the turkey, onions, tomatoes, and dressing. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

Place a lettuce leaf on each tortilla. Divide turkey evenly among tortillas. Roll up and serve immediately and wrap with plastic (or place in a plastic container) and take for lunch.

Noodle Salad

1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons garlic-chili sauce (use plain chili sauce if you cannot find garlic-chili sauce and add ½ to 1 teaspoon of garlic)
2” piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated (or 1 teaspoon jarred ginger)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced (or use parsley if you don’t care for cilantro)
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
1 box (14.5 ounces) spaghetti noodles, cooked

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together canola oil, sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic-chili sauce, fresh ginger, cilantro/parsley and red pepper flakes. Add spaghetti, then toss to combine.

If desired, make 2-3 days ahead of time so the flavors have time to combine and meld. Store refrigerated in an airtight container.

Pasta Recipes

2010-11-07T10:02:00.002-06:00

Bow Ties & Chicken Salad with a Mustard-Sesame Dressing

½ to 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts – grilled or broiled

2-1/2 teaspoons jarred ginger

6 tablespoons Dijon mustard

4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoon sesame oil

3 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

4 ounces snow peas, stems and strings removed

8 oz pound bow tie pasta

2 stalks celery, cut thinly

1 yellow, green or red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips

2 green onions, slice and use only the green part

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

To toast sesame seeds: Use a wide frying pan. Heat the seeds on medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally. Remove the seeds once they become slightly darkened and fragrant. It will take 3 to 5 minutes to toast the seeds.

Thinly slice chicken and chill. Combine ginger, mustard, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and soy sauce, mix well. Taste and add additional sugar if necessary. Add a small amount of water if the mixture is too thick.

Bring 4 quarts salted water to a boil. Blanch snow peas in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander. Rinse under cold running water and set aside. Return the water to a boil, add pasta and cook until just tender, about 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water; set aside.

Combine celery, bell pepper, green onions, chicken, snow peas and pasta in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Sugar Snap Pea & Cherry Tomato Pasta Salad

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
8 ounces bowtie pasta
6 ounces fresh sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 to 2 cups red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
4 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Puree cottage cheese until smooth in a blender or mini food processor. Add buttermilk and oil; process until smooth. Pour into a storage container and then stir in dill, parsley, Parmesan, lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and place in the refrigerator.

Cook pasta in boiling water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Add peas and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold running water.

Place pasta and peas in a large bowl and toss with tomatoes and green onions. Season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, toss salad with dressing.

Pasta Salad with a Twist

1 1/4 cups uncooked tri-color spiral pasta

1/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

6 tablespoons red wine vinegar or cider vinegar

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1 large sweet red pepper, julienned

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and then rinse with cold water; drain again.

In a large mixing cup whisk together broth, vinegar, oil, garlic, sugar, basil and salt. Place the pasta broccoli, tomatoes, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss with the Parmesan cheese. Add dressing to coat.

Pasta Salad with Strawberries & Honeydew

8 oz of bow tie pasta

4 oz sugar snap or snow pea pods, trimmed (1 -1/4 cups)
2 cups honeydew melon, cubed
½ to 1 cup poppyseed dressing (such as Maple Grove Farms of Vermont)
1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
2 cups of strawberries, hulled and quartered

1 cup of honey roasted cashews (optional)

Additional poppyseed dressing - if needed

Cook pasta according to the package directions, adding the pea pods to the pasta the last 1 minute of cooking. Drain pasta and pea pods. Rinse with cold water and drain again. Transfer to a very large mixing bowl. Add melon and toss to combine.

In a small bowl stir together the dressing and orange peel. Add to pasta mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill up to 24 hours.

To serve, gently stir in the strawberries and, if desired, nuts. If necessary, stir in additional dressing.

Pumpkin Recipes

2010-11-07T10:00:00.002-06:00

Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips

3/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil (or you can use ¼ applesauce)

2 eggs

3/4 cup canned or fresh pumpkin

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.

Mix together sugar, oil or applesauce and eggs. Add pumpkin and water to mixture and stir well. In a separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Slowly (by 3-4 spoonfuls at a time) add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir well.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Pumpkin Apple Muffins with Streusel Topping

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin

¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup applesauce

2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apple

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 teaspoons butter

Note: If you do not have pumpkin pie spice you can substitute with: 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon allspice and ½ teaspoon nutmeg.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 18 muffin cups or use paper liners. In a large bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, pumpkin, oil and applesauce. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stirring just to moisten. Fold in apples. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

For the topping: In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping evenly over muffin batter.

Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Easy Pumpkin Bars

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

¼ cup applesauce

½ cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

2 eggs

1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease (or use a spray coating) a 9 x 13 pan.

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Bake for 25 minutes. Cool and frost bars with either store bought or homemade Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners' sugar

Cream together butter or margarine with the cream cheese. Stir in vanilla. Add a few spoonfuls of the sugar at a time, stirring between each addition. Mix well until the frosting is smooth.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin

1 egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons vinegar

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir the dry mixture into the pumpkin bowl just enough to combine ingredients.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Thanksgiving Side Dishes

2010-11-07T09:55:00.000-06:00

Spicy Candied Sweet Potatoes

2 – 29 oz cans of cut sweet potatoes drained

½ cup pecans finely chopped

6 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons frozen orange concentrate, thawed

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 cups miniature marshmallows

Coat a 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.

In a large bowl stir together the sweet potatoes, pecans, butter and orange juice concentrate until well combined. In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle into the sweet potato mixture and then stir until combined well. Spoon into the slow cooker.

Cover and cook over low heat for 2 to 3 hours.

Sprinkle the marshmallows over the top of the sweet potatoes and cook on low for another 15 minutes or until the marshmallows are slightly melted.

Easy Cranberry Sauce

12 oz bag of frozen cranberries

1 cup sugar

Orange or lemon zest

2 tablespoons water

Empty a 12 ounce bag of frozen cranberries into a saucepan. Remove ½ cup of the cranberries and set aside.

Add 1 cup sugar, 1 strip orange or lemon zest and 2 tablespoons water to the pan and cover. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries burst, about 10-12 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved cranberries. Add additional sugar, salt and pepper to taste and cool to room temperature before serving.

Carrot and Cranberry Salad

7 large green onions

1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar

2 level tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger

4 cups coarsely grated peeled carrots

1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Cut tops off onions. Cut tops lengthwise into thin strips; cut strips into 2-inch pieces. Chop half of onion bottoms. Place remaining bottoms in blender; add vinegar and ginger. Puree, occasionally scraping down sides of blender jar. Strain puree into measuring cup, pressing enough solids through to yield 1/2 cup dressing; season with pepper.
Place carrots and cranberries in large bowl. Add onion tops and bottoms. Toss with enough dressing to coat.

Balsamic Roasted Pears

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 firm-ripe Bosc pears, halved lengthwise and cored

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 oz mild fresh goat cheese, cut into 4 pieces, warm to room temperature

1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Melt butter in an 8-inch square glass baking dish in middle of oven, about 3 minutes.
Arrange pears, cut sides down, in 1 layer in butter and roast in middle of oven until tender, about 20 minutes. Pour vinegar over pears and roast 5 minutes more.
Transfer pears, cut sides down, to serving plates with cheese and spoon some of juices from baking dish over pears. Drizzle pears and cheese with honey and sprinkle with pepper.

Creamed Peas With Mint

1 (1-lb) bag thawed frozen peas
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Put cream in a heavy saucepan and simmer cream with 1/4 cup mint until slightly thickened and reduced to about 1/2 cup, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on and discarding mint.
Cook celery and onion in butter in 4- to 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add thawed frozen peas and cook, stirring, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in cream, salt, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until peas are well coated, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons mint and salt to taste.

Bacon-Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

2 pounds potatoes

¼ to ½ stick butter

1 cup hot milk

½ pound chopped bacon

Bacon drippings

½ pound grated sharp cheddar cheese

¼ cup parsley

¼ cup scallions

Salt

Pepper

Cover potatoes with cold salted water, simmer 45 minutes. Drain, peel and mash with butter. Add the milk and mash until smooth and fluffy.

Cook the bacon until crisp. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons bacon drippings to the potatoes and also add the chopped bacon. Mix in the cheese, parsley and scallions. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Rustic Chop Chop Salad

2010-11-07T09:51:00.002-06:00

Rustic Chop Chop Salad
5 oz Romaine Lettuce, small diced
3 oz Sweet Potato, peeled, boiled, large diced
1 oz Dried Cranberries
2 oz Grapes, halved
2 oz Apples, diced
1 oz Toasted Almonds
1 oz Goat Cheese
2 oz Cider Walnut Vinaigrette
4 oz Grilled Chicken Breast, hot or cold, diced
Toss all ingredients together.

Cider Walnut Vinaigrette
1 ½ cup Organic Apple Cider
¾ cup Cider Vinegar
1 ½ cup Walnut, finely chopped
1 tbsp Honey
2 ¼ cup Canola
1½ tsp Mustard
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 clove Garlic, whole
¼ cup Shallots, minced
¼ cup Olive Oil
1 tbsp Kosher Salt

In a mixing blender, combine all ingredients – except Canola oil. Blend until all ingredients are fully incorporated. With blender running, slowly add the canola and olive oil until fully incorporated.

Caramel Corn Crunch

2010-11-07T09:48:00.002-06:00

Caramel Corn Crunch

Makes 3 quarts

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

3 quarts popped popcorn

Cream butter; add brown sugar and whip until fluffy. In a large baking pan, combine with popcorn.

Bake in 350-degree oven for about 8 minutes or until crisp.

Best served warm.

Lemon Garlic Glazed Corn

2010-11-07T09:46:00.000-06:00

Lemon Garlic Glazed Corn

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 ears corn, husked (but left on the cob)
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute.

Add corn, water, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cover and cook, gently shaking the pan occasionally to turn the cobs, for 5 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking, turning the cobs occasionally, until all but a few tablespoons of liquid has evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes

Corn Machu

2010-11-07T09:45:00.002-06:00

Corn Machu

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 ears of corn, kernels cut from cob
1/4 cup water
1 medium tomato, chopped
3 green onions, sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add more if you want a little more heat)

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.

Add corn kernels and water and cook, stirring, until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in tomato, green onions, thyme, paprika, salt and cayenne.

Pulled pork photos

2010-08-22T10:05:00.000-05:00

Here are photos of Dr. B's pulled pork

Salads

2010-07-13T15:26:00.000-05:00

Raspberry Chicken Salad

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 lb bag of mixed salad greens
2 medium oranges, peeled and sliced
1 pink grapefruit, peeled and sliced (optional)
1 avocado, seeded, peeled and sliced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 ½ to 2 cups Paul Newmans Raspberry & Walnut Salad Dressing
Salt & Pepper
6 to 8 oz of fresh red raspberries

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat for 5-7 minutes per side. Remove from heat and let cool. Slice into ½ inch strips.

Rinse and dry mixed lettuces and place in a large bowl along with green onion. Add ¼ to ½ cup of the salad dressing to the bowl and lightly mix. Arrange lettuce mixture on to four plates.

Arrange orange and grapefruit sections, avocado and chicken on top of lettuce. Garnish with fresh raspberries. Put the rest of the dressing out and let people add additional dressing desired.

Turkey with Dried Cranberry Salad

¼ cup whole berry cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 Hearts of romaine lettuce (or you can use a bag of chopped romaine)
8 oz smoked turkey cut into ½ inch slices
½ cup chopped toasted pecans
½ cup dried cranberries

In a small bowl (or use a one cup measuring cup) combine the cranberry sauce, mayonnaise, red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard. Set aside.

Chop the romaine lettuce into bite size pieces. Place into a serving bowl. Add the turkey, pecans and dried cranberries. Drizzle the dressing over the top, mix the salad and serve.

Mandarin Chicken Salad

2 tablespoons Mrs. Dash Original Blend seasoning or Montreal Chicken Seasoning
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoon cider vinegar
¼ cup orange juice or use the juice from the Mandarin oranges
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup chicken broth
3 cups cooked cubed skinless chicken breasts
1 ½ cups thinly sliced celery
11 oz can mandarin orange segments, drained
1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds (or pecans)
1 cup packed fresh spinach (or you can use your favorite lettuce greens)

For the dressing:

Combine the oil, vinegar, orange juice, Mrs. Dash, mustard, and honey in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Cover and shake well.

Combine broth with chicken and celery in a medium bowl. Pour dressing over chicken and toss to mix well. Cover and chill for 3 to 4 hours or overnight.

Place spinach (or other lettuce greens) on 4 plates. Divide chicken mixture among the four plates. Garnish with orange segments and almonds (or pecans).

Kabobs

2010-05-17T19:21:00.000-05:00

Dijon-Rosemary Steak:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary or 3 tablespoons dried rosemary
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

Whisk together all ingredients except steak. Toss in the steak pieces and mix until evenly coated. Cover the bowl or place in a Ziploc bag to marinate. Put in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Citrus-Tarragon Chicken:
1 orange, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
1 lemon, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
1 lime, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tarragon leaves
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup canola oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

Whisk together all of the citrus-tarragon chicken ingredients, except the chicken in a bowl. Toss the chicken in the mixture until evenly coated. Cover or place in a Ziploc bag to marinate. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Lemon-Garlic Shrimp:
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots or green onions, cut into pieces
1 bay leaf (fresh or dried)
2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pound (16 to 20 count) shrimp, shelled and deveined (make sure to get raw shrimp)

Whisk together all of the lemon garlic shrimp ingredients except for the shrimp in a bowl. Toss the shrimp in the mixture until evenly coated. Cover or place in a Ziploc bag to marinate. Place in the refrigerator 2-4 hours.

Veggies For Kabobs:
Bell peppers
Onions
Cherry tomatoes
Mushrooms
Summer squash or zucchini

Cut vegetables into bite sized pieces.

Balsamic Basting Vinaigrette for Veggies:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

Directions
Start your grill. Any type of grill, charcoal, gas or electric works well.

Thread meat/chicken/shrimp on to skewers, alternate with vegetables. Baste the vegetables with the Balsamic Basting Vinaigrette. (Note the vegetables are not marinated like the meats.)

Place kabobs on grill and cook for 10-15 minutes turning ¼ rotation every 2-3 minutes.
The shrimp will cook quickly, so watch it carefully. You may even want to place the shrimp on their own skewers as they may be completely cooked in 4-5 minutes.

Mother's Day Recipes

2010-05-04T18:23:00.001-05:00

Syrupy Banana-Nut Overnight French Toast
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
5 large ripe bananas, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
(You can substitute 3 to 4 ripe pears or peaches or 1 cup dried cherries for the bananas)
1 (12-ounce) long loaf French or Italian bread, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices
6 large eggs
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sliced almonds or coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

Place butter in a microwave-safe small bowl. Heat butter in microwave oven one minute or until melted. Stir sugar into butter until moistened. With fingertips, press sugar mixture onto bottom of 13-inch by 9-inch glass baking dish. (Don’t worry if the mixture does not completely cover the bottom of the pan.) Spread fresh or dried fruit over sugar mixture; top with bread slices.

In medium bowl, beat eggs; whisk in milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Slowly pour milk mixture over bread; press bread down to absorb egg mixture. Sprinkle with nuts. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap from baking dish. Bake the French toast uncovered, 45 to 50 minutes or until bread is golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Cinnamon Cream

Pancakes

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, separated
3 tablespoons butter melted
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cinnamon Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat griddle or frying pan to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, combine milk, egg yolks, and 3 tablespoons melted butter; add to flour mixture, whisking until smooth.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until stiff. Gently fold into batter. Stir in chocolate chips.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter on hot griddle or frying pan. With a ladle or large spoon place about 1/4-cup batter for each pancake onto hot griddle/fry pan. Cook pancakes for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Turn and cook the other side.

After removing the first set of pancakes, repeat procedure with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and remaining batter.

Directions for Cinnamon Cream:
In a medium bowl, beat cream at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until thickened. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and cinnamon, beating until stuff peaks form. Cover and chill.
Serve pancakes with cinnamon cream and maple syrup.

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest or ½ teaspoon lemon juice
Butter
2+ bananas (Depending on if you want additional bananas for garnish)

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest or lemon juice. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

Cut two of the bananas into bite size pieces

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Place several banana pieces on each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned.

Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve with additional sliced bananas, butter and maple syrup

Fruit Salad with Honey Dressing
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup canola oil
1-1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 apple, cored and diced
1 banana, sliced
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup seedless grapes
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

For the dressing, combine the honey, orange juice, oil, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, poppy seeds, salt, and mustard in a jar with a tight lid; cover and shake well.

Toss the apple, banana, grapes and avocado with remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice to prevent the fruit from turning brown. Combine all the fruit and nuts in a glass bowl. Add the dressing and stir gently. Either serve up an individual bowls or if desired, serve on red or green leaf lettuce on individual plates.

Apple Bread

2010-04-13T21:23:00.001-05:00

8 Tbsp butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 apples (use your favorite variety)
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4-6 oz chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1/2 cup cranberries (you can also use blueberries)

Peel and core the apples. dice into small cubes.

Soften the butter and mix in the sugar. add in the eggs and and milk and mix completely.

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl and add to the wet ingredients. mix in the apples and cranberries/blueberries. Don’t overmix; just break up any large clumps of flour and get everything moist. lightly mix in the optional walnuts.

Carefully pour into a greased and floured loaf pan and bake at 350 F for one hour. remove from oven and let rest in the loaf pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool.

If necessary, cover bread after 20 minutes to keep the bread from over browning.

Rustic Chop Chop Salad

2010-03-25T15:10:00.001-05:00

Rustic Chop Chop Salad

5 oz Romaine Lettuce, small diced
3 oz Sweet Potato, peeled, boiled, large diced
1 oz Dried Cranberries
2 oz Grapes, halved
2 oz Apples, diced
1 oz Toasted Almonds
1 oz Goat Cheese
2 oz Cider Walnut Vinaigrette
4 oz Grilled Chicken Breast, hot or cold, diced

Toss all ingredients together.

Cider Walnut Vinaigrette

1 ½ cup Organic Apple Cider
¾ cup Cider Vinegar
1 ½ cup Walnut, finely chopped
1 tbsp Honey
2 ¼ cup Canola
1½ tsp Mustard
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 clove Garlic, whole
¼ cup Shallots, minced
¼ cup Olive Oil
1 tbsp Kosher Salt
In a mixing blender, combine all ingredients – except Canola oil. Blend until all ingredients are fully incorporated. With blender running, slowly add the canola and olive oil until fully incorporated.

Sirloin Wrap with Creamy Chipotle Sauce

2010-03-13T18:40:00.000-06:00

1 lb top sirloin steak (cut into thin strips)
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspon ground cumin
2 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil
1/3 cup Ranch dressing
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 canned chipotle chile in adobe sauce,, niced
4 (7- to 8-inch) wheat or flour tortillas
2 to 4 cups mixed salad greens - fresh spinach also works well
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

Sprinkle steak with chili powder and cumin, pressing gently into steak.

Heat oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add streak and cook 5-7 minutes until medium rare. Remove steak and cover loosely with foil Set aside.

Combine dressing, sour cream, and chile in a small bowl. If desired, warm tortillas in a fry pan so they are flexible. Spread sour cream mixture on tortillas, top with greens, onions and beef.

Fold over or roll up and eat!

French Toast Recipes

2010-03-05T17:16:00.000-06:00

Buttermilk French Toast Recipe

12 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 loaf bread

Beat eggs. Add buttermilk, almond extract and seasonings.
Dip bread into batter, turn to coat both sides. Cook on a lightly oiled skillet until both sides are golden brown. Top with powder sugar and maple syrup.

French Toast with Honey

1 cup half and half
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons honey, warmed in a microwave for 20 seconds
¼ teaspoon salt
8 slices of day old bread (French bread or a thick loaf of bread works the best)
4 tablespoons of butter

In a medium size bowl, whisk together the half and half, eggs, honey, and salt. This can be done the night before and then put in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, pour the egg mixture into a pie pan and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for 30 seconds on each side, and then place it on a wire rack above cookie sheet or sheet type pan, and allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes.

Over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan. Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on a cookie sheet and put in the oven for 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining slices. Serve with syrup or whipped cream.

Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup
Recipe from Paula Deen
1 loaf of French bread
8 large eggs
2 cups half and half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline topping (follows)
Maple syrup
Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:
½ pound (2 sticks of butter)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.

Strawberry Banana Stuffed French Toast

1 loaf unsliced dense bread, such as Challah, French or Italian bread
1 pint strawberries, chopped
1 banana, chopped
12 oz whipped cream cheese
Non-stick coking spray
1 cup maple syrup
6 eggs
1 ½ cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
¾ teaspoon nutmeg

Slice bread about 1 1 / 2 inch thick. Cut a pocket in each slice. Mix fruit and cream cheese. Stuff each pocket with this mixture.
Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour maple syrup into bottom of pan. Lay stuffed bread on top of syrup.
Mix eggs, milk, vanilla, and nutmeg. Pour over bread. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes until golden

French Toast Sticks

Texas toast
6 eggs beaten
If you have kids they might enjoy French toast sticks. They are simple to make.
Cut Texas toast into one inch pieces. Dip the toast into the eggs. Deep fat fry until golden brown.
Serve dusted with powdered sugar.

Cranberry Apple Crisp

2010-02-21T08:51:00.002-06:00

Cranberry Apple Crisp

2 cups cranberries
3 cups sliced peeled apples
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature

Combine cranberries, apples, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and salt; turn into a shallow, buttered 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Combine brown sugar, oats, and flour. cut in butter. Spoon over cranberry-apple mixture. Bake at 325° for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until topping is crispy and fruit is tender.

Banana Bread

2010-02-20T10:57:00.003-06:00

Banana Split Bread

½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large)
4 tablespoons milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg. Then in a small bowl, combine bananas and milk.Combine the flour, baking power and baking soda, add to creamed mixture alternately with banana mixture. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans.

Pour into a greased 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan. Place in oven and bake for 55-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread
2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup milk
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 mashed bananas
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup crunchy peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Coat a pan with butter or use a non-stick cooking spray.
Mix flour, sugar, peanut butter, and melted butter in a bowl until it becomes a crumbly mixture. Reserve one cup of mixture for later use.

Make a small well right in the middle of the mixture and add milk, eggs, mashed bananas, vanilla, baking powder and baking soda and mix well.

Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and top it with the reserved crumble mixture. Bake the cake for about 40-45 minutes and ensure that the top mixture (crumble layer) does not get burnt. Check if the cake is ready by inserting a toothpick after 40 minutes. If it comes out clean, it’s ready to be taken out of the oven.
Let cool for 10 minutes and then remove from pan.

Cinnamon Spice Banana Bread

1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter
3 cups white sugar
3 eggs
6 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease four 7x3 inch loaf pans.

In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture. In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.

Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Banana Chip Bread

1 ¼ cups sugar

½ cup butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

1 ½ cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)

½ cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

½ cup peanut butter or butterscotch chips

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.

Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into pans.

Bake 8-inch loaves about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 1/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan.

Wintertime

2010-02-14T10:12:00.000-06:00

Nothing better to do on a cold winter's day than to bake something delicious.

Soup Recipes

2010-01-21T18:50:00.000-06:00

Baked Potato Soup with Bacon
2/3 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
7 cups milk
4 large baking potatoes, baked, peeled an cubed (about 4 cups)
4 green onions, sliced (Or one diced and sautéed onion)
12 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 ¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
¾ to 1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ to 1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder

In a large soup kettle or Dutch oven, melt the butter. Stir in flour; heat and stir until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring until thickened.
Add potatoes and onions, Bring to a boil; stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; stir until cheese is melted. Add ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.

Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.

Chicken Ravioli Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. raw chicken, medium diced
½ teaspoon. dry thyme
¼ teaspoon dry sage
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup onion, small diced
1 cup carrot, small diced
1 cup celery, small diced
¾ cup red bell pepper, medium diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken broth (use low sodium if you are trying to cut down on salt)
½ cup frozen peas
½ lb. frozen cheese ravioli

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot, over medium high heat. Add the chicken, thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Sauté for 4 to 8 minutes, or until completely cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the pot. When the butter is completely melted, add the onion, carrot, celery and red bell pepper. Cook the vegetables for 3 to 6 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Increase the temperature to medium high heat. Add the cooked chicken and chicken broth to the pot, and bring to a boil. Slowly add the ravioli and peas to the boiling liquid. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the ravioli is cooked through.

Bacon and Egg Soup

1/2 pound slab or thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
4 slices rustic Italian bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups grated parmesan cheese, plus 1 small piece rind
4 tablespoons torn fresh parsley
4 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 375. Cook the bacon in a medium pot over medium heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate with a slotted spoon, then discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings from the pot. While the bacon cooks, toss the bread cubes with the olive oil on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden and crisp, about 8 minutes.

Add the garlic to the bacon drippings and cook until slightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth, 1 1/2 cups water, the parmesan rind and 2 tablespoons parsley; season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.

Adjust the heat so the broth is barely boiling. One at a time, crack each egg into a small bowl and gently slip into the broth. Poach until just set, about 2 minutes. Transfer the eggs with a slotted spoon to individual soup bowls. Stir 1 cup parmesan and the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley into the broth and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the broth into the bowls and top with the croutons, bacon and the remaining 1/4 cup parmesean.

Alligator and Ham Soup
2 lb alligator meat
2 tablespoons flour
1 small piece of ham
1 piece of lemon chopped finely
1 medium onion chopped
Cloves
Garlic
Bay leaf
Thyme
Parsley
Salt & pepper to taste

Cut ham into bits; mash herbs and seasonings with it, and put them aside. Boil alligator meat 15 minutes. Remove from heat and save the stock. Chop up the meat.
Brown onions in vegetable oil; add alligator meat and brown well. Then add ham and seasonings, stirring constantly. Add stock and 2-1/2 to 3 quarts water with salt and pepper (to taste) and also the lemon. Cook for one to two hours until meat is tender, stirring frequently.

Hot Chocolate Recipes

2010-01-07T06:19:00.000-06:00

Double Chocolate Hot Chocolate

4 quart box instant dry milk
1 lb. 14 oz. Nesquick chocolate drink mix
20 oz. jar regular coffeemate
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 package of six (6) Hershey Bars broken into small pieces
1 package mini marshmallows

Mix together all ingredients including broken Hershey bars in large bowl. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container for storage.

When ready to use, mix 1/3 cup of the cocoa mix into 8 ounces of hot milk. If desired, add marshmallows. You can store the mix in an air tight container for up to a year.

Caramel Hot Chocolate
Serves 6

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup water
6 milk chocolate covered caramels
6 cups milk
Whipped cream, if desired

In a large saucepan combine sugar, cocoa powder, and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add candies; cook and stir until melted. Stir in milk. Heat through. Pour into six mugs. If desired, top with whipped cream.

Double Dip Hot Chocolate
Serves 4

2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 cups half-and-half
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee powder
4 to 5 vanilla beans or cinnamon sticks, if desired, for garnish

Heat the milk and half-and-half in a saucepan on medium heat to just below the simmering point. Remove the pan from the heat and add both chocolates.

Once the chocolates are melted, add the sugar, vanilla extract, and espresso and stir until thoroughly mixed. Reheat over low to medium heat. Pour into mugs and serve immediately.

If desired, garnish with a vanilla bean or cinnamon stick.

White Hot Chocolate
Serves 3-4
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped cream, optional

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine white chocolate chips and heavy cream. Stir continuously until white chocolate chips have completely melted.
Stir in the half-and-half, and vanilla extract. Stir occasionally until heated through.
Pour into mugs. If desired top with whipped cream.

Hot Chocolate and Ho-Ho-Ho Rum
Serves 2
2 cups milk
3 1/2 ounces best-quality dark chocolate, bittersweet or semisweet, as preferred
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dark rum (spiced rum works well in this recipe)

Pour the milk into a saucepan. Break the chocolate into pieces and add to the milk along with a cinnamon stick, honey, and sugar and heat over low heat until the chocolate is melted.

Add the vanilla and mix with a small hand whisk or stir with spoon. While mixing, add one tablespoon of rum. Taste and if desired add additional rum. If the drink is not sweet enough, add another teaspoon of sugar.

Remove the cinnamon stick and pour into two mugs.

Peach Recipes

2010-01-03T17:21:00.002-06:00

Peach Chicken

cooking oil
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
6 fryer chicken leg quarters with thighs or chicken breast halves
1 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cups sliced peaches (fresh,canned or frozen)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon dried leaf basil
1 clove garlic, finely minced

Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Combine flour, salt, pepper, and paprika. While oil is heating dredge chicken in the seasoned flour.

Brown chicken on all sides. While chicken is browning, combine orange juice and peaches with brown sugar, vinegar, nutmeg, basil and minced garlic in a saucepan. Heat mixture over medium heat. Reduce to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove chicken from skillet when it is browned and pour off excess fat. Replace chicken and pour the peach sauce mixture over top. Cover and simmer for 20 to 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. It may need a little additional salt. Let people add their own salt to taste.

Fresh Peach Crisp

1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon. cinnamon
1/4 cup butter
6 med. peaches

In mixing bowl combine oats, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Peel and core peaches or apples; slice and put into a baking dish. Sprinkle oat mixture on top of fruit and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

If desired, serve with whip cream or vanilla ice cream.

Grilled Peaches

6 firm-ripe peaches (6 oz. each)
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup sugar

Rinse peaches; cut each in half and pit. In a 9- to 10-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, melt butter; add sugar and stir until well blended. Remove pan from heat, set peaches in butter mixture, and turn them to coat evenly.

Lay peaches, cut side down, on a barbecue grill over a solid bed of medium coals or medium heat on a gas grill. Cook until peaches are hot and lightly browned on the bottom. Brush tops with more butter mixture, then turn fruit over and brush cooked sides with mixture. Cook until peaches are warm but still hold their shape, 6 to 10 minutes total.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

2009-12-25T10:07:00.003-06:00

A run in the snow makes a labrador hungry!

New Years Eve Recipes

2009-12-24T14:25:00.000-06:00

Pears with blue cheese and prosciutto
Very simple recipe

2 pears (such as Bosc or Bartlett), each cored and sliced into 9 wedges
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 ounces blue cheese cut into small pieces
6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto cut in half lengthwise
1 cup argula
Sprinkle lemon juice on pear slices. On an argala leaf, place a piece of pear, a piece of cheese and the prosciutto. Roll up the leaf. Then serve - simple as that.

Mini Crab-Cakes
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
4 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided (use dry if fresh is not available)
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Large pinch of cayenne pepper
6 ounces fresh lump crabmeat, picked over, patted dry, coarsely shredded (you can use canned crabmeat)
1 cup panko bread crumbs (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pans
Fresh chives, cut into pieces (if available otherwise use dried)

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese in medium bowl until smooth. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and egg; beat to blend. Beat in sour cream, citrus peels, 4 teaspoons chopped chives, coarse salt, and cayenne pepper. Fold in crabmeat. Cover and chill. This can be made up to one day ahead of time.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 2 mini muffin pans. Toss panko bread crumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons chopped chives in small bowl. Drizzle 1/4 cup melted butter over the top, tossing with fork until evenly moistened. Press 1 rounded tablespoon panko mixture into bottom of each muffin cup, forming a crust. Spoon 1 large tablespoon of crab mixture into each cup. Sprinkle rounded teaspoon of panko mixture over each muffin cup.
Bake crab cakes until golden on top and set, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Run knife around each cake and gently lift out of pan. Arrange crab cakes on serving platter and sprinkle with chives.
NOTE: Panko breadcrumbs are available are area stores. Ask if you don't see them.

Fried Mozzarella Balls
Vegetable oil (4-5 cups)
1 pound drained marinated bocconcini (small mozzarella balls), patted dry or 1 pound fresh mozzarella (this is usually located by the deli section of your grocery store)
3 large eggs, beaten
1 cup plain fine dry bread crumbs
If using fresh mozzarella, cut into ¾ inch chunks.

Heat about 1-1/2 inches oil to in a 3 to 4 quart heavy saucepan to 360°F.
While oil is heating, double-coat bocconcini (or mozzarella chunks) by dipping in eggs, then in bread crumbs, and repeating. Transfer to a sheet of wax paper.
Working in small batches lower balls into oil with a slotted spoon and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 30 seconds per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season with salt. Let oil heat up to 360°F between batches or the balls may soak up too much oil.

Beef & Cheese Pinwheels
12-ounces thinly sliced deli roast beef
(4-ounce) package herb flavored cream cheese
4 large flour tortillas (about 10-inches)
2 cups spinach leaves (about 20 leaves)
1 (7-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, rinsed and drained
Spread cheese evenly over one side of each tortilla.
Place deli roast beef over cheese leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Place spinach leaves over beef. Arrange peppers down center, over spinach. Roll up tightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to overnight before serving.
To serve, cut each roll crosswise into 8 slices. Arrange cut side up on serving platter.

Creamy Italian Shrimp Dip
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup seafood cocktail sauce
1 envelope dry Italian salad dressing mix
8 ounces shrimp, cooked and finely chopped (save time by buying pre-cooked shrimp)
3 green onions, chopped
Assorted fresh vegetables
Beat sour cream, cream cheese, cocktail sauce and salad dressing mix in small mixer bowl until creamy. Stir in shrimp and green onions.
Transfer to serving dish. Cover; refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with vegetables or potato chips.

Jello Shots
6 ounces of Jello or gelatin mix (usually 1 large package) - Any flavor (do not use sugar free jello)
16 ounces of boiling water
6 ounces of cold water
20 small plastic cups or shot glasses
10 ounces vodka

Pour the contents of your Jello packet into a large mixing bowl. Mix in the boiling water while stirring gently. Let it sit for a minute so that the gelatin can fully activate.

Stir in the alcohol and cold water. Set up the small cups or shot glasses on a tray. Give each cup a small spray of cooking oil. (This will help keep the Jello from sticking to the bottom.) Pour the jello/alcohol mixture into the cups/glasses. Place your tray of Jello shots in the refrigerator and let them cool for at least two hours.

Cook's Helpers

2009-12-06T18:18:00.000-06:00

Helping to create a masterpiece are Sammo (black lab) and Gizmo (yellow lab).

A different type of tomato salad

2009-11-15T14:06:00.005-06:00

Tomato-Peach Salad

1 tomato
1 peach
¼ red onion cut into slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
Salt
Pepper

Cut tomato into wedges. Cut peach in half, remove pit and then cut into wedges.
Toss tomato and peach wedges with red onion slices. Drizzle with olive oil and then vinegar. Season with sugar, salt and pepper.

Cucumbers in Sour Cream Dill Sauce

2009-11-15T14:06:00.002-06:00

Cucumbers in Sour Cream Dill Sauce

4 small, firm cucumbers
1 cup boiling water
¾ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons minced fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dill seed or 1 tablespoon dried dill
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoon sugar

Peel cucumbers and slice very thin. Pour boiling water over them and count to 10. Drain and cover with ice water. Drain cucumbers. Put cucumbers on a plate and cover with paper towels and absorb as much moisture as possible. To get even more moisture out of the cucumbers, after covering them with a paper towel, put a plate on top of the paper towel and press down. It is important to remove as much moisture as possible from the cucumbers.

Mix together sour cream, vinegar, dill, salt, pepper and sugar. Taste. Add more salt and/or sugar if needed.

Toss cucumbers with dressing. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Sweet & Sour Cucumber Salad

2009-11-15T14:05:00.002-06:00

Sweet & Sour Cucumber Salad
2 medium cucumber, seeded and diced
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar

Scrub the cucumber well. Cut in half lengthwise, then scoop out seeds with a spoon. Cut the halves in half again lengthwise, then cut across the spears to make the dice.

In a medium bowl, toss the cucumber with the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.

Thanksgiving Side Dishes

2009-11-10T19:04:00.000-06:00

Spicy Candied Sweet Potatoes
2 – 29 oz cans of cut sweet potatoes drained
½ cup pecans finely chopped
6 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons frozen orange concentrate, thawed
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups miniature marshmallows

Coat a 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.

In a large bowl stir together the sweet potatoes, pecans, butter and orange juice concentrate until well combined. In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle into the sweet potato mixture and then stir until combined well. Spoon into the slow cooker.

Cover and cook over low heat for 2 to 3 hours.

Sprinkle the marshmallows over the top of the sweet potatoes and cook on low for another 15 minutes or until the marshmallows are slightly melted.

Easy Cranberry Sauce
12 oz bag of frozen cranberries
1 cup sugar
Orange or lemon zest
2 tablespoons water

Empty a 12 ounce bag of frozen cranberries into a saucepan. Remove ½ cup of the cranberries and set aside.

Add 1 cup sugar, 1 strip orange or lemon zest and 2 tablespoons water to the pan and cover. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries burst, about 10-12 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved cranberries. Add additional sugar, salt and pepper to taste and cool to room temperature before serving.

Carrot and Cranberry Salad

7 large green onions
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 level tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
4 cups coarsely grated peeled carrots
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Cut tops off onions. Cut tops lengthwise into thin strips; cut strips into 2-inch pieces. Chop half of onion bottoms. Place remaining bottoms in blender; add vinegar and ginger. Puree, occasionally scraping down sides of blender jar. Strain puree into measuring cup, pressing enough solids through to yield 1/2 cup dressing; season with pepper.
Place carrots and cranberries in large bowl. Add onion tops and bottoms. Toss with enough dressing to coat.

Balsamic Roasted Pears
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 firm-ripe Bosc pears, halved lengthwise and cored
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 oz mild fresh goat cheese, cut into 4 pieces, warm to room temperature
1/4 cup honey
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Melt butter in an 8-inch square glass baking dish in middle of oven, about 3 minutes.
Arrange pears, cut sides down, in 1 layer in butter and roast in middle of oven until tender, about 20 minutes. Pour vinegar over pears and roast 5 minutes more.
Transfer pears, cut sides down, to serving plates with cheese and spoon some of juices from baking dish over pears. Drizzle pears and cheese with honey and sprinkle with pepper.

Creamed Peas With Mint
1 (1-lb) bag thawed frozen peas
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Put cream in a heavy saucepan and simmer cream with 1/4 cup mint until slightly thickened and reduced to about 1/2 cup, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on and discarding mint.
Cook celery and onion in butter in 4- to 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add thawed frozen peas and cook, stirring, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in cream, salt, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until peas are well coated, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons mint and salt to taste.

Bacon-Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
2 pounds potatoes
¼ to ½ stick butter
1 cup hot milk
½ pound chopped bacon
Bacon drippings
½ pound grated sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup parsley
¼ cup scallions
Salt
Pepper

Cover potatoes with cold salted water, simmer 45 minutes. Drain, peel and mash with butter. Add the milk and mash until smooth and fluffy.

Cook the bacon until crisp. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons bacon drippings to the potatoes and also add the chopped bacon. Mix in the cheese, parsley and scallions. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Comfort Foods Mac and Cheese

2009-11-07T06:15:00.000-06:00

Macaroni with Four Cheese
5 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups milk
5 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled
4 ounces Fontina, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground mustard
3/4 pound rigatoni or ziti, cooked and drained
4 ounces mozzarella, cut into small cubes
4 ounces Parmesan, grated

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to blend. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy and smooth.

Add the Gorgonzola and Fontina. Cook, stirring constantly until the cheeses are melted. Add, salt, peppers, and mustard.

Remove from heat. Pour the cheese sauce and macaroni into the baking dish. Stir to mix well. Add the mozzarella and stir to mix. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until bubbly and the top is lightly browned.

Classic Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 6 to 8 or 10 to 12 as a side dish

Bread Crumb Topping:
6 slices white sandwich bread (good-quality, about 6 ounces), torn into rough pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into 6 pieces

Pasta and cheese
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon table salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
5 cups milk
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1 teaspoon table salt

For the bread crumbs: Pulse bread and butter in food processor until crumbs are no larger than 1/8 inch, 10 to 15 one-second pulses. Set aside.

For the pasta and cheese: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat. Add macaroni and 1 tablespoon salt; cook until pasta is tender. Drain pasta and set aside in colander.

In now-empty Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour, mustard and cayenne (if using) and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking until mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; bring mixture to boil, whisking constantly (mixture must reach full boil to fully thicken).

Reduce heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened to consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in cheeses and 1 teaspoon salt until cheeses are fully melted. Add pasta and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is steaming and heated through, about 6 minutes.

Transfer mixture to broiler-safe 9- by 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs. Broil until crumbs are deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, rotating pan if necessary for even browning. Cool about 5 minutes, then serve.

Banana Bread

2009-11-07T06:13:00.002-06:00

Banana Bread
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large ripe bananas, peeled
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Heat oven to 350 degrres. coat two 8 1/2 - by 4 1/2- by 2 5/8-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside until needed

2. In large bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Make a well in the center.

3. In another bowl, mash bananas. Add eggs, sugar and butter and beat until the mixture if fairly smooth.

4. Pour banana mixture into well in the dry ingredients. Stir just until blended. Fold in walnuts. Divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans.

5. Bake loaves at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, until browned and tops spring back lightly when pressed.

Wild Rice and Smoked Chicken Soup

2009-11-07T06:11:00.000-06:00

Wild Rice and Smoked Chicken Soup

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup carrots, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup celery, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 8-ounce can of diced tomatoes, juice included
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 1/2 tablespoons tarragon
White pepper to taste
Julienned smoked chicken or turkey (or ham)

In large stockpot, melt butter. Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic, cover. Cook over low heat until carrots are tender.

Add chicken stock and tomatoes. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Add wild rice, tarragon and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer.

To serve, place several pieces of chicken in the bottom of a bowl and ladle in the hot soup.

Garlic Bread

2009-11-07T06:10:00.002-06:00

Garlic Bread

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic (use jarred garlic if you like)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, softened
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 15- by 3 1/2-inch loaf of Italian bread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mince garlic and salt into a paste - use a heavy knife to finely dice the garlic and then add the salt and mash with the flat end of the knife. Stir together butter, oil and garlic paste in a bowl until smooth, then stir in parsley.
Without cutting completely through the bottom, cut the bread diagonally into 1-inch thick slices. Spread the garlic butter between the slices.

The Quest for the Perfect Burger

2009-11-07T06:07:00.000-06:00

Blue Cheese Burgers
2 pounds ground chuck
1 pound ground sirloin
3 tablespoons steak sauce
6 extra large yolk eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons butter
8 to 10 hamburger buns
8 ounces blue cheese

In a large bowl, carefully mix the meats, steak sauce, egg yolks, salt and pepper. Mix well. Lightly form hamburger patties and press lightly into shape. Press a thin slice of butter into the top of each hamburger, making sure the meat entirely encases the butter. Prepare a grill and cook the hamburgers 4 minutes on one side, then turn and cook 3 minutes on the other side (for medium rare). Cook slightly longer if you want the hamburgers more well done. Remove the burgers, put on a plate and cover them with foil. Allow the burgers to rest 5 minutes.

Toast the buns on the grill for 1 minute or until toasted. Place a hamburger on each bun, top with a slice of blue cheese.

If desired, also top with a piece of lettuce and slice of tomato.

Classic Grilled Burgers
1/2cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons steak sauce
1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound lean ground beef
4 kaiser or hamburger buns, split and toasted
Cheddar cheese slices
Tomato slices
Sweet onion slices
Dill Pickle slices

In a medium bowl, combine onion, steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and pepper. Add ground beef, mix well. Shape mixture into four 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch thick patties.

Start a charcoal grill. Grill burgers on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 10 to 13 minutes (1/2-inch thickness) or 14 to 18 minutes (3/4-inch thickness) or till meat is done (160 degree F), turning once halfway through grilling.

(For a gas grill, preheat a gas grill on high for 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Place patties on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.)
Serve patties on buns. If desired, top burgers with cheese, tomato, onion and pickles.

Grilled Hamburgers with Onions and Chipotle Ketchup
Ingredients for Onions:
1 pound red onions, cut cross wise into 1/3- to 1/2-inch- thick rounds
Olive oil
3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Ingredients for Chipotle Ketchup
1 cup ketchup
1-1/2 teaspoons chopped chipotle chiles from canned chipotles in adobo* plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from can
2 teaspoons (or more) balsamic vinegar

Ingredients for Burgers:
2-1/4 pounds ground beef (15 percent to 20 percent fat)
Coarse kosher salt
6 thick slices sharp cheddar cheese
6 large English muffins or hamburger buns, split, cut sides grilled
6 tomato slices (optional)
2 cups fresh spinach leaves

For onions:
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat): Arrange onion rounds on baking sheet. Brush with oil; sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt and pepper. Transfer onion rounds (still intact) to grill rack; close cover. Cook until grill marks appear, about 4 minutes per side. Reduce heat or move onions to cooler part of grill. Close cover; cook until onions are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl. Toss with vinegar. This can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. If prepared in advance, cover and chill.

For chipotle ketchup:
Mix ketchup, chiles, adobo sauce and 2 teaspoons vinegar in small bowl. Season with salt and more vinegar, if desired. This can be made three days ahead. Cover and chill.

For burgers:
Shape beef into six 1/2-inch thick patties. Sprinkle patties on both sides with coarse salt and pepper. Start grill. Place burgers on grill. Close cover; cook burgers until bottoms start to darken and juices rise to surface, about 3 minutes.

Turn burgers; cook to desired doneness, about 3 minutes longer for medium-rare. Top with onions and cheese. Close cover; cook until cheese melts. Place muffin bottoms on plates; spread with ketchup. Top with burgers, tomatoes, if desired, spinach and muffin tops. Serve, passing remaining ketchup separately.
*Dried, smoked jalapenos in a spicy tomato sauce called adobo are available at area stores in the Mexican food food aisle.

Game Snacks

2009-11-07T06:02:00.000-06:00

Fiery Hot Wings
12 chicken wings (cut into three sections, remove wing tips)
1 tablespoon corn oil
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning chicken seasoning (Like McCormick Montreal chicken seasoning)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Bleu cheese dressing

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place wings on baking sheet or in baking pan. Bake 35 minutes or until wings are no loner pink.

While wings are cooking, combine butter, hot sauce, mustard and chicken seasoning (and salt and pepper if desired) in microwaveable bowl. Microwave mixture 2 minutes or until butter melts. Stir mixture thoroughly.
Place chicken in bowl and turn until chicken is completely covered with mixture.

Serve with bleu cheese dressing.

Chicken Fingers
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Old Bay or Montreal Chicken Seasoning
3/4 cup milk
1 to 2 cups vegetable or canola oil for frying

Cut chicken into 1/2- by 2-inch strips. For easier cutting, cut chicken while it is still slightly frozen.
Mix flour and seasonings. Dip chicken into milk and then roll in flour mixture and coat well. Place chicken on waxed paper.

Pour 1/2 inch oil into a large skillet. Heat over medium high heat to 350 degrees or until a cube of white bread dropped into the oil browns in one minute.

Place chicken in oil and cook about 3 minutes on each side. Cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Serve with sauce.

Honey Mustard
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
(or if you prefer serve with barbeque sauce)
Blend honey and mustard in a small bowl - that's all there is to it!

The Best Ever Sloppy Joes
1 can (14 - 1/2 oz diced tomatoes)
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup ketchup
2 to 3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
3 large gloves of garlic, chopped (or use 1 to 2 teaspoons jarred garlic)
1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl combine tomatoes, red wine vinegar, ketchup and brown sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved.

In a large skillet, combine the remaining ingredients. Cook over medium high heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring to crumble beef. Drain off any grease. (There should be very little unless you do not use a lean ground beef.) Stir in tomato mixture. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve on toasted buns with dill pickles.

Recipes using Feta Cheese

2009-11-07T05:58:00.002-06:00

Smoked Turkey and Feta Salad
6 servings
1 pound asparagus spears cut into 2-inch pieces, cooked and drained
1 package (6 ounce) smoked turkey breast slices, cut into strips
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1 package (4 ounce) feta cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup Italian dressing or Mediterranean Vinaigrette (see below)
Mix all ingredients lightly with dressing. Refrigerate 2 hours.
If desired, serve on lettuce-lined plates.
Tip: When using fresh asparagus, break off and discard the woody bases (where the spears snap easily). Cut asparagus into pieces and cook, covered in a small amount of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 to 6 minutes.

Mediterranean Vinaigrette
Makes 3/4 cup 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2/3 cup olive oil
Place vinegar, garlic, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper in blender. Blend until smooth.
Add oil. Blend 15 seconds or until well mixed and slightly opaque. Serve with fresh salad greens or in recipes that call for an Italian or Mediterranean dressing.

Spinach, Fruit and Feta Salad
6 servings
Toss spinach, fruit, cheese, onion and olives for salad in a large bowl. Spoon dressing over spinach mixture.
Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salad:
5 cups torn spinach
1 cup each cantaloupe chunks and halved strawberries
1 cup (6 ounce) Feta Cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion rings
1/4 cup pitted California ripe olives
Mix oil, lemon juice, honey and pepper for dressing in a small bow or measuring cup.
Toss spinach, fruit, cheese, onion and olives for salad in a large bowl. Spoon dressing over spinach mixture.

4th of July Foods

2009-11-07T05:56:00.002-06:00

Pepper Pot Hot Dogs
2 peppers (red, green or yellow, cut into rings)
1 medium onion, sliced
1 small jalapeno pepper - if' desired
1/4 cup Italian dressing
8 hot dogs (beef franks or wieners)
8 hot dog buns
Pre-heat a gas or charcoal grill. Place peppers, onions and dressing in a heavy duty foil bag or foil pouch. Heat the packet on a grill for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender, turning bag occasionally. Grill hot dogs until thoroughly heated, turning occasionally. Cook longer if you like your hot dogs with a "charcoal crust."
Place hot dogs in buns and top with pepper mixture.

Basil Grilled Chicken
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 tablespoons fresh basil
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Press the 1/4 teaspoon pepper into one side of the chicken breasts.
Combine 1/3 cup melted butter and 1/4 cup chopped basil; stir well. Brush chicken lightly with melted butter mixture.
Combine 1/2 cup softened butter, 2 tablespoons basil, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at slow speed until well blended and smooth. Transfer to a small serving bowl, set aside.
Grill chicken over medium coals 8 to 12 minutes on each side, basting frequently with remaining melted butter mixture.
Serve grilled chicken with basil-butter mixture.

Tangy Broccoli Salad
3/4 cup Miracle Whip (or mayonnaise if you prefer)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 medium bunch of broccoli,
cut into bite size pieces
12 slices crisply cooked bacon
1/2 cup chopped red onion (use chopped green onions if you want it to have a little less zing)
1/2 cup yellow or red pepper, diced
1 to 1 1/2 cups seedless grapes (red or green)
Cook broccoli in boiling water for just a couple of minutes or steam if you prefer. Do not overcook. You want the broccoli to remain crisp. To make dressing: mix Miracle Whip, sugar, vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Taste and add more sugar and salt if needed.
In a large bowl combine broccoli, bacon, onion, pepper and grapes. Add dressing and toss lightly. Refrigerate.
Note: If you like a creamier salad, double the ingredients for the dressing. It is always best to have extra dressing. You can add half the dressing, then refrigerate the salad and add extra dressing if desired when you remove the salad from the refrigerator.

Flies in the Buttermilk

2009-11-07T05:52:00.000-06:00

Low-Fat Buttermilk Dressing
1- /2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup well shaken low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg
1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil

Whisk together cornstarch, mustard, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup buttermilk in a small heavy saucepan until smooth.

In a large mixing cup or small bowl, whisk remaining 3/4 cup buttermilk and egg until smooth - add to mixture in pan. Cook over moderate heat whisking constantly until mixture reaches a simmer. Then simmer mixture, whisking constantly until thickened and custard-like, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from heat and add lemon juice and oil. Taste the mixture and add additional one teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt if necessary.

Transfer mixture to a bowl, cover and chill at least one hour. Prepare a salad with your favorite ingredients and serve with the dressing. The dressing will keep up to three days in the refrigerator.

Buttermilk Chess Pie
Makes one 10-inch or two 8-inch pies
1 large or 2 small uncooked pie shells
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 rounded tablespoons flour
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup buttermilk
Dash nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare pie crusts and set aside.

In processor or mixer bowl, cream butter with sugar. Add flour and combine thoroughly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Combine vanilla and almond extract with buttermilk and stir. Add to original mixture. Add a dash of nutmeg. Mix well.
Pour into prepared pie shell(s) and dust with more nutmeg. Bake in pre-heated oven 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook 35 to 40 minutes until custard sets. It should be firm if you wiggle the pan. Serve warm or cold.

Fried and Oven Fried Chicken
1 2-1/2-3-pound fryer chicken, cut up
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 teaspoons salt
2+ teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
2 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons oil

Rinse chicken. Place chicken in large container and gently poke pieces with fork. Pour buttermilk over chicken. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour and up to eight hours.

In plastic bag or bowl combine flour, Panko bread crumbs, salt, 2 teaspoons paprika, black pepper, white pepper and Old Bay Seasoning.

Remove chicken from buttermilk and shake off excess. Add chicken to flour mixture and coat well. Place chicken on plate.

In a 12-inch skillet heat oil and butter. Add chicken and cook pieces 5-10 minutes until browned; then turn over and brown other side an additional 5-10 minutes. If necessary, add additional oil and butter. Once chicken is browned place in a large shallow baking pan. Sprinkle additional paprika on top of chicken.
Bake uncovered in a 375-degree oven for 35 to 45 minutes until chicken is tender. Do not turn chicken during baking time. Drain on paper towels and serve.

The Sweet Smell of Baked Goods

2009-11-07T05:48:00.001-06:00

Dried Cherry Scone

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup dried cherries
2 cups heavy cream
Sugar Glaze (optional)
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup confectioner's sugar

1. Cut two 10-inch circles of parchment paper. Use one to line a 10-inch round cake pan. Reserve the second piece.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a mixing bowl, and add the dried cherries. Toss them together with the dry ingredients until evenly distributed. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.

3. Add the cream to the flour mixture and stir by hand just until the batter is evenly moistened.

4. Place the dough in the lined cake pan and press into an even layer. Cover the dough with the second parchment paper circle. Freeze the dough until very firm, at least two hours.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by spraying it lightly with cooking spray or lining it with parchment paper.

6. Thaw the dough for 5 minutes at room temperature, and turn it out of the cake pan onto a cutting board. Cut the dough into 10 equal wedges and place the individual wedges on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

7. Bake the scones until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool the scones on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.

8. Mix the milk and confectioner's sugar together to make a glaze and spoon over the top of the scones while they are still warm. Serve warm or at room temperature. You can also freeze the scones for up to four weeks.

Chocolate Glazed Banana Cake
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons buttermilk or sour cream
2 very ripe bananas (mashed to about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Butterscotch-Chocolate Glaze (see recipe below left)

1. Cream butter and sugar until blended. Add eggs and beat until fluffy.

2. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture along with buttermilk and mashed bananas. Mix just until batter is smooth and well blended. Stir in 1/4 cup of the nuts.

3. Spread in a buttered 9-inch square cake pan.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until cake feels firm to the touch.

5. Meanwhile, prepare Butterscotch-Chocolate Glaze. Spread on cake after cake has cooled. Sprinkle remaining nuts on the top.

Butterscotch-Chocolate Glaze
In the top of a double boiler, mix 1/3 cup of butterscotch chips and 1/3 cup chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons whipping cream.

Place over hot, not boiling, water. Stir until chips have melted and mixture is smooth. Spread while warm over cake. Be careful not to overheat or the chips will get hard.

Buttermilk Cupcakes
1 package (18.25 ounces) butter or yellow cake mix 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
3 eggs
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 can (12 ounce) whipped chocolate (ready to use) frosting

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 to 30 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with paper baking cups and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, the butter and the eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Use a rubber spatula and scrap down the sides of the bowl. Then beat on medium speed an additional two minutes. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filing 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool.

4. Stir the remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk into the chocolate frosting. Frost cooled cupcakes.

Note: The original recipe said this would make 24 cupcakes. When I made the recipe, it made 30. If you want fewer cupcakes, fill your muffin cups a little higher.

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T15:41:00.002-05:00

Happy Halloween.

Scroll down the page for the Halloween recipes.

Tasty pork recipes

2009-10-31T14:42:00.000-05:00

Pork and Sweet Potato Stir Fry
Serve over rice if you desire - Makes 4 servings

1/2 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce (use reduced sodium soy sauce if you like less salt)
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (add more if you like a little more heat)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound thin boneless pork chops cut into ¼ inch thick slices
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 large) peeled and sliced into ¼ inch strips
2 green peppers, cored, seeded and cut into ½ inch thick strips

In a mixing bowl combine both, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, cornstarch and red pepper flakes until smooth. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Ad pork and stir fry for 2 minutes. Season with salt. Remove to plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, sauté sweet potatoes and peppers over medium heat for 8 minutes. Add 1 cup water and simmer, covered over medium-low heat for approximately 6 minutes until sweet potato is tender, stirring occasionally.

If there is a lot of water still remaining after the sweet potato is tender, drain off the water.

Stir in the broth mixture and cooked pork and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 1 minutes until the sauce is thickened and meat is heated through.

Spicy Peanut Pork

4 boneless pork loin chops, ¾ inch thick well trimmed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 medium green onions cut into 1-inch diagonal slices, white and green parts
8 ounces snow peas, strings removed
1 tablespoon minced, peeled fresh ginger (or you can use 1 tablespoon jarred ginger)
3 garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press or finely chopped
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne) use more if you want more zing, but be careful!

Rinse pork chops and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle pork chops with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper.

Add olive oil to a nonstick 12-inch skillet and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add pork chops and cook 4 minutes; turn pork over and cook 3 to 4 minutes longer until lightly browned on the outside and still slightly pink on the inside. Transfer pork chops to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

In same skillet add green onions, snow peas and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat 4 minutes stirring frequently. Stir in ginger and garlic, cook 1 minute. Return pork to skillet.

In a small bowl combine peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar, ground red pepper and ¼ cup water until well blended.

Pour peanut butter mixture into the skillet with the pork chops and vegetables. Heat to boiling over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 minute.

If desired, serve over rice.

Slow Cooked Smothered Pork Chops
Adapted from Cook’s Country Magazine

6 slices bacon
6 bone in blade cut pork chops about ¾ inch thick
Salt and pepper
3 yellow onions, halved and sliced into ½-inch half moon slices
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
3 garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons thyme
3 cups chicken borth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (if desired)

Fry bacon in large skillet over medium heat until browned. Transfer bacon to paper towels leaving fat in pan. Refrigerate bacon. You need about 2 tablespoons fat, if your bacon was lean and you do not have that much fat add olive or canola oil until you have 2 tablespoons.

Heat fat over high heat until smoking. Pat pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 3 chops at a time until golden brown on each side (about 3 minutes per side). Transfer chops to slower cooker.

Pour off all but 1 teaspoon fat from skillet, add onions, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, an ¼ cup water to skillet. Using a wooden spoon, scrape browned bits from pan bottom and cook over medium-high heat until onions are soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Pour onion mixture over chops in slow cooker.

Add broth, soy sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar to skillet and bring to a boil. Add bay leaves. Pour mixture over onions in slow cooker.

Cook on low until pork is very tender, about 8 hours. (If you don’t have all day you can cook on a higher temperature.)

Transfer chops to a serving platter. The chops will be tender and delicious. Take bacon out of refrigerator and warm slightly in a pan. Crumble and set aside for use with next step or you can sprinkle the bacon and parsley over the chops if you do not want to go to the trouble of making the gravy.

This step is optional but if you want gravy follow these steps: First discard the bay leaves. Pour liquid through mesh strainer into saucepan. Transfer solids to blender and add 1 cup of the liquid and blend until smooth. Stir back into remaining liquid in saucepan. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water in small bowl and thoroughly blend. Stir into sauce. Cook over medium heat until thickened, about 8 minutes. Add vinegar, season with salt and pepper, pour over chops. Then sprinkle bacon and parsley over the top. The gravy is a bit more work but it is really good!

Tailgating Recipes

2009-10-31T06:38:00.000-05:00

Italian Beef
2-3 lb beef roast
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
Olive oil
Bottled Italian dressing
Water
Optional – Mozzarella, provolone or swiss cheese and Italian rolls

Cut the roast into long strips or 2-inch chunks. Place the beef into the crock pot and add 1/2 cup of olive oil and ¼ cup of bottled Italian dressing. Add seasonings. Add water until the beef is covered.

Cook for at least six hours until beef is tender and can be easily separated with a fork. Remove the beef from the crock pot and save the broth. Shred the beef and put it back in the crock pot. Add some of the broth back to keep the meat moist.
For best flavor, refrigerate overnight. Then warm to desired temperature and serve the next day. If desired, serve on Italian rolls with your choice of cheese.

Blue Cheese – Sour Cream Dip
1 8-ounce tub whipped cream cheese
¾ cup crumbled blue cheese
¾ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Dash of hot pepper sauce
6 slices peppered bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
Apple slices, cut up raw vegetables or crackers

Put the cream cheese, blue cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, horseradish, onion, Italian seasoning, and pepper sauce in a food processor. Pulse until very smooth. Add the bacon and pulse until just blended.

Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until the flavors are well integrated, at least one hour or overnight.

Serve with apples, vegetables, and/or crackers.

Grilled Sausage with Spicy Sauce
Food Network October 2009 Magazine
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds of good quality kielbasa or other smoked sausage, cut into bite size pieces
¾ cup ketchup
¾ cup spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon hot sauce

Soak 8 to 10 wooden skewers in water for about 20 minutes (or use metal skewers).
Preheat a grill to medium and brush with the oil. Thread the sausage onto the skewers, leaving space between each piece. Grill until slightly crisp, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Mix the ketchup, mustard and hot sauce in a bowl. Serve with the sausage for dipping.

Bush’s Best Black Bean Salad
Food Network October 2009 Magazine
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
½ cup diced red onion
1 (15-oz can) corn, drained
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cilantro
¼ cup olive oil
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 (15-oz) can Bush’s Black Beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and pepper, to taste
Tortilla chips

In a small bowl combine peppers, onion, corn, garlic and cilantro. Add olive oil, vinegar, lime juice. Then add salt and pepper to taste. Add the can of black beans and toss well.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Breakfast Dishes

2009-10-31T06:34:00.000-05:00

Breakfast Pizza

1 tube (13.8 ounces) refrigerated pizza crust
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 eggs
2 tablespoons water
1 package (3 ounces) real bacon bits (or 3 to 6 ounces crumbled cooked sausage or 3 to 6 ounces ham, cut into cubes)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Unroll crust into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan; flatten dough and build up edges slightly. Brush with 1 tablespoon oil. Prick dough thoroughly with a fork. Bake at 400¡ for 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned.

While pizza crust is baking, whisk eggs and water in a small bowl. In a small skillet, heat remaining oil until hot. Add eggs; cook and stir over medium heat until completely set.

Spoon eggs over crust. Sprinkle with bacon (or sausage or ham) and cheeses. Bake 5-7 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Baked Havarti Egg
1 teaspoon butter
1 tablespoon half-and-half
1 large egg
1 heaping teaspoon havarti cheese, grated (you can use Monterey Jack cheese instead)
1/8 teaspoon dried dill

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt the butter in an oven proof custard cup. Add the half-and-half. Crack the egg into the cup and cover with the cheese. Sprinkle with dill. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the egg is set.

Cinnamon French Toast

This dish can be put together the night before and then cooked in the morning.

3 large eggs
6 tablespoons half and half
1 tablespoon sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 3/4-inch thick slices of bread
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Warm maple syrup

Whisk eggs, half and half, sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and vanilla in a 13x9x2 baking dish to blend. Add bread and turn to coat.

Cover and chill until bread absorbs egg mixture, at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

Melt butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add bread and cook until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plates. Combine powdered sugar with remaining cinnamon and sift over toast. Serve with warm maple syrup.

English Muffin Breakfast Pizza

1 whole wheat English muffin
1 small tomato, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 thin slice (1/2 ounce) Canadian bacon, diced (use ham or bacon bits)
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
Chopped fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a small baking sheet with foil.

Place the English muffin halves cut-side up on the baking sheet. Top each with tomato and drizzle with olive oil.

Sprinkle the Canadian bacon (ham or bacon bits) over the tomatoes. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Sprinkle with basil.

Tasty Popcorn Treats

2009-10-31T06:25:00.000-05:00

Caramel Corn Crunch
Makes 3 quarts

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3 quarts popped popcorn

Cream butter; add brown sugar and whip until fluffy. In a large baking pan, combine with popcorn.

Bake in 350-degree oven for about 8 minutes or until crisp.

Best served warm.

Happy Halloween Mini Popcorn Balls
Makes 16 popcorn balls
10 cups popped corn
1 (1-lb.) bag miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1 cup diced dried fruit (papaya, mango or peaches)
1 cup butterscotch chips
Orange food coloring

Place popcorn, fruit and butterscotch chips in large bowl; set aside.
Heat marshmallows and butter in a large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Stir in several drops of food coloring. Pour over popcorn and candy, tossing to coat evenly. Cool 5 minutes.
Grease hands and form into 3-inch balls.
Honey Mustard Snack Mix

1 quart popped popcorn
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon cumin powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white or black pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Spread popcorn on a baking sheet. Drizzle honey over popcorn and sprinkle with dry mustard, cumin, salt and pepper.

Bake 8-9 minutes and toss just before serving. Best if served warm.

Sweet and Smokey Almond Popcorn

5 cups popped popcorn
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup hickory smoked flavor almonds

In a large saucepan or pot, heat sugar and water over medium heat. Cook 3 minutes or until sugar is melted and mixture is bubbling, stirring occasionally.

Stir in butter until melted and well blended. Stir in popcorn and almonds until well coated.

Remove from heat and allow to cool before serving.

Spice it Up!

2009-10-20T10:55:00.001-05:00

Fiesta Chicken and Rice

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup minute rice (or you can use 1 cup long grain rice)
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/8 to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (14.5 oz ) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 -1/4 cups of chicken broth
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
4 green onions, sliced thin

Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat until oil is shimmering. Put chicken in pan and turn heat down to medium high. Cook 1-2 minutes on one side and then turn over. Cook chicken 4-6 minutes until golden brown on one side. Transfer the chicken to a large plate leaving any juices in pan.

Add rice, onion, and ½ teaspoon of salt to skillet and cook, stirring frequently until the rice grains are sizzling and toasted and the onion is slightly softened, about three minutes (reduce heat if the rice browns too quickly). Stir in garlic, oregano, chili powder and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 15 to 30 seconds. (The more chili and cayenne powder you add the hotter your final dish will be.)

Stir in tomatoes, green pepper, and broth and bring to a boil, scrapping up any brown bits and stirring them into the mix. Place chicken, browned side up, onto the rice and pour in any juices that accumulated on the plate. Cover the skillet and reduce heat to low and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.

Remove the chicken and cover it with foil to keep it warm. Cover the pan and cook until the rice is tender. Long grain rice will have to be cooked another 10-15 minutes to become tender. If using minute rice it will take only another 5 minutes or so to be thoroughly cooked.

Once rice is cooked, slice chicken into ½-inch pieces and place it on top of the cooked rice. Sprinkle with cheese and green onions. Cover and cook 2-5 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Mexican Cornbread

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk or buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped jalapenos (or to taste)
½ to 2/3 cup shredded Mexican cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Grease an 8-inch square pan. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

To dry mixture add egg, milk, sour cream, oil, jalapenos and cheese and mix until smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.

Chicken Quesadillas

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 packet fajita seasoning
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (if desired)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 green pepper, chopped finely
1 red pepper, chopped finely
1 onion, diced
10 large tortillas
8 oz shredded cheese
8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese
(or use 16 oz Mexican cheese)
8 oz sour cream

Cut chicken breasts into small pieces and combine with fajita seasoning. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook 5-10 minutes. Stir in peppers and onion. Cook until chicken is cooked through and onions and peppers are slightly softened.

Layer half of each tortilla with chicken mixture and top with cheese. Fold each tortilla in half and press lightly. Coat a warm skillet with cooking spray. Lightly brown each quesadilla until cheese is melted and the “tortilla shell” is slightly browned. Cut into four wedges and serve with sour cream.

Halloween recipes

2009-10-12T19:41:00.000-05:00

Toxic Tomatoes (Roasted Tomatoes)

6 - Medium tomatoes
½ - Avocado (peeled, pitted and chopped)
4 ounces - Swiss cheese (grated)
6 - Fresh basil leaves (chopped) OR
1 tablespoon - Dried basil
¼ teaspoon - Dried oregano

Wash the tomatoes and cut them in half crosswise. Place the halves, open side up, on a cookie sheet.

In a small bowl, mash together the avocado (sludge), grated Swiss cheese, and basil (poisonous plant matter). Spoon the mixture on top of the tomatoes and sprinkle with oregano (fly wings). Broil the tomatoes for 5 minutes, or until sludge begins to ooze.

Carefully remove the tomatoes from the broiler and serve hot, or allow to cool slightly, and eat them with your hands.

Halloween Pumpkin Chip Cookies

1 cup pumpkin
1 egg
1/2 cup any kind vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup white chocolate or butterscotch chips
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 370°F.
Note: If using butterscotch chips, try using butter rum extract or butterscotch schnapps instead of the vanilla for extra flavor.

Blend pumpkin, egg, oil and sugar. Whisk together flour, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to first mixture. Dissolve the baking soda in milk and add to batter. Stir in chocolate (or butterscotch) chips, nuts and vanilla.

Drop by the teaspoonful onto lightly greased baking sheets.

Bake at 370°F degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Recipe can be doubled. Bake and freeze the extra cookies.

Vampire Repellent (A tasty popcorn snack)
Makes 12 cups

1 bag - Microwave popcorn
2 cups - Crisp wheat square cereal
2 cups - Cheddar cheese-flavored goldfish crackers
1 (¾ ounce) can - Shoestring potatoes
1 cup - Unsalted peanuts
½ cup - Margarine or butter
1 teaspoon - Dried parsley flakes
½ teaspoon - Chili powder
¼ teaspoon - Onion powder
¼ teaspoon - Garlic powder
½ cup - Grated parmesan cheese

Prepare popcorn as directed on the packaged. Remove any unpopped kernels.

In a large bowl, combine popcorn, cereal, crackers, shoestring potatoes and peanuts.

Place margarine in a 2-cup microwave-safe measuring cup. Microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted. Stir in parsley flakes, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. Drizzle seasoned mixture over popcorn mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Toss until evenly coated.

Transfer half of mixture to ungreased 12x8 inch microwave safe dish. Microwave on high for 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring once halfway through heating. Spread on paper towels to cool. Repeat with remaining mixture.

Dracula’s Garlic Dip
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. dill weed
1/4 teaspoon. each celery seed, paprika, and parsley
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

Allow cream cheese to stand at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before making.
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
There is enough garlic in this potion to ward off any vampires.