Monday, October 29, 2007

Chicken Scallopine with Linguine Alfredo

Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup white wine
Garnish: fresh parsley sprig
Linguine Alfredo

Combine first 3 ingredients in a shallow dish; dredge chicken cutlets in flour mixture.
Cook chicken in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from skillet, and keep warm.
Add wine to skillet; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet.
Arrange cutlets on a serving platter, and drizzle with sauce. Garnish, if desired. Serve with Linguine Alfredo.

Linguine Alfredo
1 (10-ounce) container light refrigerated Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup white wine
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 (8-ounce) package refrigerated linguine
Process Alfredo sauce and next 4 ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.
Prepare linguine according to package directions; drain and return to pot. Stir in Alfredo sauce mixture, and serve immediately.
Note: For testing purposes only, we used Buitoni Light Alfredo Sauce.

Makes 4 servings

Southern Living, APRIL 2004

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Brazilian Limeade

This is the limeade I made for Beth's shower. I tripled the recipe.

2 Limes, washed , cut off ends and thinly slice
1/2 cup sugar
3T sweetened condensed milk
1 cup ice cubes
3 cups water
1 bunch mint leaves

Combine lime slices, sugar , condensed milk, and ice cubes in a food processor or blender. Process for 5 to 10 seconds. Add the water and stir with a spoon. Strain limeade and serve in 4 glasses over ice with a sprig of mint.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Herb Smashed Potatoes

3 large all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks Salt 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces 1 shallot, chopped 10 blades chives, chopped or snipped, 3 tablespoons 3 or 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and chopped, 2 tablespoons Freshly ground black pepper 1 cup good quality chicken stock, available on soup aisle 4 ounces, 1 small log, herb, peppercorn or plain goat cheese
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and salt. Boil potatoes 15 minutes or until fork tender.
Begin other dishes for your menu with the pocket of time you have here.
Pour the potatoes into a colander to drain. Return pot to stove. Adjust heat to medium. Add oil, then the butter. When butter melts, add shallots and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add herbs, then potatoes back to the pot. Mash potatoes, adding stock as you work to achieve your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Remove goat cheese from packaging and cut the small log into 4 discs. Serve potatoes on dinner plates and top each mound with a disk of goat cheese.

** I just crumbled the goat cheese and mixed it in to the potatoes instead of setting it on top.

Sweet Bacon Wraps

12-15 appetizer servings
45 min 10 min prep

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (1 lb) package sliced bacon
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes.
Cut each bacon slice into thirds. Wrap each chicken cube with bacon and secure with a wooden pick inserted on the diagonal starting where bacon seam overlaps.
Stir together brown sugar and chili powder. Dredge wrapped chicken in mixture.
Coat a rack and broiler pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken on rack in broiler pan.
Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, or until bacon is crisp.

** I cut the chicken half and wrapped 1 piece of bacon around it instead of the appetizer s the recipe called for. It was good. I have done it the other way too, for parties.

Greek Shrimp and Feta Penne

Ingredients:
2 lbs.large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used 3/4 a pound instead, I think 2 pounds is too much)
1 lb.penne pasta, cooked to al dente
3 Tablespoonsextra virgin olive, 3 turns around the pan
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
1 can(28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
8 oz.feta cheese, crumbled
Black pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoonsfresh chopped oregano, 2 or 3 sprigs
A handful of chopped flat leaf parsley
Crusty bread, for the table
Directions: Remove tails from shrimp and set aside. While the penne is cooking, heat olive oil in deep skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute 1 or 2 minutes until garlic speaks by sizzling in oil. Add wine and cook to reduce by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add feta and stir constantly until cheese crumbles melt into sauce. Add black pepper and oregano, stir to combine and add raw shrimp. Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are pink and firm. Add parsley and cooked, drained pasta to the shrimp and sauce. Serve immediately with warm, crusty bread.

Deviled Chicken and Stone Fruit

4 SERVINGS
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for drizzling
4 cloves garlic, grated
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons spicy brown or Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
2 to 2 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
4 stone fruits (such as plums, nectarines or peaches), halved
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped
1. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup EVOO and the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, paprika and hot pepper sauce. Add the chicken, turn to coat evenly and let marinate for 15 minutes. Grill, turning once, until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced, about 5 minutes on each side.2. Drizzle the stone fruits with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Place on a grill, without touching the chicken, and cook until grill marks appear, 5 to 6 minutes.3. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, brown sugar and rosemary to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until reduced by about half, 6 to 7 minutes (watch carefully to avoid burning). Serve the chicken with the fruit alongside and drizzle the sauce over both.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Blue Moon Burgers

1 pound lean ground beef
4 shakes Worcestershire sauce
cracked black pepper
1/4 pound blue cheese, cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup dry red wine
kosher salt to taste
4 crusty rolls or toasted Sourdough bread
sliced red onion and lettuce as toppers

Season beef with Worcestershire and black pepper. Take quarter of the beef in hand. Nest some blue cheese in the meat and form a pattie around the filling- keep your burgers no more than 3/4 inch thick.
Pour the wine into a shallow dish. Cook burgers 4 minutes on each side. Salt burgers to taste. Place on rolls or bread and tops with onion and lettuce. Serves 4.

5 spice coconut chicken

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 boneless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds total), pounded flat( I used chicken breasts)
Cooked white rice, for serving
1. In a large bowl, combine the remaining 1/3 cup coconut milk, 2 tablespoons honey and 1 tablespoon lime juice with the soy sauce, garlic, five-spice powder and salt. Add the chicken thighs, coating well. Marinate for 15 minutes.3. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sugar snap peas and cook for 1 minute; drain. Transfer to a medium bowl and toss with the reserved coconut-honey dressing.4. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium. Grill the chickenbreasts for about 4 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Serve with rice.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Halibut with Corn Chowder Gravy

4 Halibut fillets
4 slices bacon, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery with leaves attached, diced
3 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
1 10 oz. box frozen corn
1/4 cup flour
1 cup half and half
1 cup chicken stock
A few dashes of hot sauce
Salt and pepper

Heat 1 T. olive oil in a medium to large pot over medium heat. Cook the bacon until golden and crispy, 3-4 minutes.
Add the onions, celery and thyme. Saute the veggies with the bacon until tender, 7-8 minutes. Add the corn and season with salt & pepper and hot sauce, to taste. Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and cook 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and half & half and cook until thickened to a gravy consistency.

In a separate pan, heat 3 Tbs. olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the fillets with salt and pepper then add to the skillet. Let them get crispy and golden brown on one side, about 5 minutes, then flip them over and let them cook for about 3 more minutes.

Top with the Corn Chowder Gravy. I served this with mashed potatoes and the green beans posted below.

From Rachel Ray

Green Beans

1 1/2 lb. fresh green beans, washed & trimmed
1 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
fresh lemon juice
toasted almonds
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook green beans about 5-7 minutes in boiling water (or until they are as soft as your prefer).
Drain the beans and return them to the hot pot; toss with olive oil and butter until butter melts. Then squeeze 1/2 of a lemon and toss. Add salt, pepper and almonds.

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Baked Ziti

8 oz. dried penne pasta
1 jar tomato sauce
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup pitted ripe sliced olives
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Cook pasta per directions and drain well. In large stove/oven proof pan, brown ground beef with onion. Drain fat. Stir in tomato sauce. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in pasta and olives. Bake covered for 30 minutes; sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Chicken empanadas

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 (8-ounce) package shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts Water
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the chicken and next 7 ingredients. Unroll 1 piecrust onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 15-inch circle. Cut out rounds, using a 3-inch cookie cutter. Re-roll dough as needed. Repeat procedure with remaining piecrusts, making 12 to 15 circles total. Arrange 1 round on a clean, flat surface. Lightly brush the edges of crust with water. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken mixture in the center of the round. Fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining rounds and chicken mixture. (Up to this point, the recipe can be made ahead and frozen for up to 1 month). Arrange empanadas on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Pumpkin Cake

Pumpkin Cake
(Tanya Warpula)
2 cups Sugar
1 1/2 cups Wesson Oil
4 Eggs
1 can pumpkin
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix sugar & oil. Add eggs & beat. Add pumpkin. Mix the dry ingredients together & add to pumpkin mix. Pour into a greased & floured bunt pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.
You can serve it just like that, even as a breakfast cake.
OR...
You can make it into a fall cake (Parker's 2nd Bday, fall party) and flip it upside down, ice it with cream cheese frosting dyed orange. Take a ice cream cone and put it upside down in the center. Dye that icing brown and it makes for a perfect stem.

Chocolate Popcorn

12 cups butter microwave popcorn (popped)
1 pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips
1 pkg. vanilla chips
2 tsp. shortening
2 cups chopped pecans, toasted

Place popcorn in greased 9x13 pan. Microwave chocolate chips and 1 tsp. shortening until melted. Drizzle over popcorn. Microwave vanilla chips and 1 tsp. shortening until melted. Drizzle over popcorn. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with pecans. Chill until firm. Break into pieces.

Taco Soup

1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
2 cans Rotel
2 cans chopped or sliced tomatoes
2 cans kidney beans (drained)
2 cans shoepeg corn
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 small onion, chopped

Brown/saute ground meat with onion in large pot. Add seasonings and vegetables and cook until hot. Serve with crackers, cornbread, or corn chips.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Sausage Rolls

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking powder
5 Tbs. shortening
2/3 cup milk
1 lb. sausage

Stir together flour, salt and baking powder in large bowl. Cut in shortening until crumbly. Stir in milk. Half the dough and roll out each half to about 1/4 inch thick. Half the sausage (uncooked) and spread out on each half of the dough. Roll the dough/sausage into a roll (log shape). Wrap in wax paper (or saran wrap) and foil; chill. Slice and bake at 400 for about 20 minutes until desired "brown-ness".

A couple of things: they slice better if they are cold; I usually freeze one roll for later; if you don't want to make the dough, you can use a pie crust

Chicken Piccata

2 chicken breasts, halved
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. capers, drained
2 Tbs. butter
Fresh lemon slices

Cut chicken breasts in half and pound until flattened into "cutlets". Season with salt and pepper and dust lightly with flour. Coat a non-stick saute pan with spray and add the vegetable oil; heat on medium-high.

Saute chicken 2-3 minutes on 1 side, flip over and saute other side 1-2 minutes with pan covered. Transfer chicken to a warm plate; pour off fat from pan.

"Deglaze" pan with white wine and add garlic. Cook until garlic is slightly brown and liquid is nearly gone. Add broth, lemon juice and capers. Return chicken to pan and cook on each side for 1 minute. Transfer chicken to warm plate.

Finish sauce with butter and lemons. Once butter is melted, pour over chicken and serve.

Monday, October 1, 2007

Tarragon Flank Steak

2 medium shallots, minced
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. dried tarragon
1 t. salt
½ t. ground black pepper
2 lbs. beef flank steak
1 T. olive oil
In small bowl, stir all together except beef and oil. Spoon mixture into large
Zip-loc bag; add steak, turning to coat. Seal bag and press out excess air. Place bag on plate; refrigerate at least 1 hour before cooking. Remove steak from bag. Brush large grill pan or skillet with oil and heat over medium heat until ht. Place steak in pan and cook for 15 minute for medium rare or desired doneness, turning over once. Transfer steak to cutting board. Let stand for 10 minutes to allow juices to set for easier slicing. Thinly slice steak to serve. Make 10 servings!

Mexican casserole

2 lbs. Ground beef
1 can cream of chicken soup
½ can water
1 can Rotel
1 can taco sauce
1 can green chiles
tortillas
cheddar cheese
Brown meat and drain. Add soup, water, Rotel, taco sauce and green chilies. Put a layer of tortillas, layer of grated cheese, layer of meat mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake in 9x13 pan at 350 until hot.

Beef Ravioli in basil-cream sauce

1 (24 ounce) package frozen beef ravioli
2 tablespoons butter
1 8 ounce package of fresh or canned mushrooms, sliced
3 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 (10 ounce) can diced mild tomatoes and green chilies, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt

Prepare ravioli in a large Dutch oven according to package directions; drain and keep warm.
Melt 2 T. butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and next 3 ingredients; saute over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Stir in diced tomatoes and green chiles, basil, and cream; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese; add salt. Stir in ravioli, tossing to coat.

No Pain Lo Mein

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Meal Makers: Add a few simple sides to this one-pot-meal and double the fun and the food on the table! Prepare store bought egg or spring rolls (preferred brand Pagoda Cafe) with dishes of duck sauce and sweet hot mustard for dipping. Chill pieces of sliced melons and pineapple spears for a simple dessert. Fortune cookies and green tea are readily available in the Asian food aisle of market and will add to the total-effect of a weeknight fun Chinese supper for your family.
2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan in a slow drizzle) vegetable or wok oil
1 cup (2 handfuls) snow peas, halved on a diagonal
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into match stick size pieces 1
4 scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal
2 inches fresh ginger root, minced or grated with hand grater
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lo mein noodles or thin spaghetti, cooked to al dente and drained well
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, several drops
Heat a wok-shaped skillet or large non-stick skillet over high heat. When pan is very hot, add oil, (it will smoke a bit) then, immediately add the snow peas, pepper, scallions. Stir fry for 1 minute to flavor the oil, then add the ginger and garlic, and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the cooked noodles and toss with to combine. Add the soy sauce and toss the ingredients to coat noodles evenly with sauce. Transfer the lo mein to a serving platter and garnish with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil.
Cook's Notes: Wok oil is infused with ginger and garlic and is widely available on the International Foods aisle of the market.
Cooked shredded pork, chicken, or small de-veined shrimp may be added to this dish in any combination.