Bites

Tortellini Spinach Salad with Balsamic Tomato Vinaigrette

2012-01-21T18:14:00.000-08:00

Totally yummy salad recipe that can totally be a main dish.

Salad:
20 ounce package refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 (14.5 oz.) can quartered artichokes
1 (9 oz.) bag fresh baby spinach
1 (3 oz.) bag sun dried tomatoes or jar of sun dried tomatoes, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup diced red onion

Dressing:
9 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 ½ tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste (about 1/8 teaspoon each)
3/4 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Cook tortellini in boiling water until al dente. Drain and toss (carefully so the tortellini don’t break apart) with a teaspoon of olive oil to keep from sticking. Let cool in colander. In a large bowl, toss all the salad ingredients together after the pasta has cooled.

In a blender add all of the dressing ingredients except for the olive oil and process until smooth. Then, while the blender is running, slowly add the olive oil and blend until completely combined. If serving the salad right away, immediately pour the dressing over the salad and toss well (you may not need all the dressing). Serve.

Baked Berry and Banana Oatmeal

2012-01-21T15:19:00.000-08:00

We all LOVED this breakfast dish. It was my first time baking oatmeal and I'm definitely a new convert!

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts or almonds, toasted and chopped
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 cups milk
1 large egg
2 tsp pur vanilla extract
2 ripe bananas, cut into 1/2" slices
1 1/2 cups berries
maple syrup, for drizzling

Preheat oven to 375. Butter and 8-inch square baking dish.

COmbine the oats, half the nuts, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the milk, egg, half the butter, and vanilla.

Arrange bananas in a single layer on the bottom of the coated baking dish. Sprinkle with two-thirds of the berries, then cover with the oat mixture. Slowly drizzle milk mixture over the oats. Gently tap dish on a work surface to distribute liquid. Scatter remaining berries and nuts across the top.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is nicely golden and the oat mixture has set. Let cool slightly. drizzle with remaining melted butter and maple syrup.

Grilled Chicken and Club Sandwich

2012-01-19T18:01:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: Closet Cooking

Man o man. This recipe needs to be on everybody menu next week. And take the 50min ahead of time to make the chipotle caramelized onions. Delish!

One sandwich includes:
1 small chicken breast, pounded thin
salt and pepper to taste or your favourite grilled meat seasoning
1 tablespoon mayo
2 leaves lettuce
2 slices tomato
2 slices bacon, cooked
1/2 small avocado, sliced
2 tablespoons chipotle caramelized onions
1 sandwich bun, sliced in half

Directions
Brush your grill with oil and heat it to medium heat.
Season the chicken and grill until cooked, about 5-7 minutes per side.
Assemble the sandwich and enjoy.

Cranberry Spinach Salad

2012-01-19T17:57:00.000-08:00

Emilie made this recipe for a recent dinner swap (with the addition of grilled chicken) and we really enjoyed it. The dressing is fabulous. You know it's good if the Heavilands repeat a recipe we just had two weeks earlier.

3/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered
1 pound spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons minced onion
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook and stir almonds in butter until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and let cool.
In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the toasted almonds and cranberries.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, and vegetable oil. Toss with spinach just before serving.

What a dad...

2012-01-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

Mark made this Tow Mater sandwich for James which he might of thought was the coolest thing in the world. He just used sandwich bread, slices of provolone and frozen peas.

Southwestern Chicken Barley Chili

2012-01-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

This recipe tasted similar to this recipe but just a little bit different with the barley. All four Heavilands devoured it!

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup medium barley (not quick cooking)
4 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
dash cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into bite-size pieces
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels

Garnishes: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS:
In a large pot (about 6-quarts), combine the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, barley, water, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano and cayenne (if using). Stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and add the chicken. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer the chili for 40 minutes, until the barley is tender and chewy and the chicken is no longer pink. Stir occasionally, while it simmers to prevent sticking and to make sure it stays at a steady simmer. After 40 minutes, add the beans and corn. Stir to combine and simmer for five more minutes. Serve the chili with optional garnishes, if desired.

The chili will thicken considerably upon cooling. Add chicken broth or water as needed to achieve a desirable consistency (especially if reheating the leftovers).

Spicy Pasta Salad with Smoked Gouda

2012-01-09T13:54:00.000-08:00

Photo credit: pioneer woman

Another knock-out recipe this week! Smoked gouda is cheap at Trader Joes. Make this!

12 ounces, weight Mostaccioli pasta (I let James pick out the pasta and he picked bow ties)
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 cup Whole Milk
4 Tablespoons White Vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoon Adobo Sauce From Chipotle Peppers (or One Minced Chipotle Pepper)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Ground Black Pepper To Taste
10 ounces, weight Grape Tomatoes, Halved Lengthwise
1/2 pound Smoked Gouda Cheese, Cut Into Small Cubes
24 whole Basil Leaves (chiffonade)

Preparation Instructions
Cook pasta until done. Drain and rinse in cold water until no longer hot. Set aside.
Mix mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, salt, pepper, and adobo in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, stir together pasta, dressing, halved tomatoes, and cubed Gouda. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed, and even an extra teaspoons or two of vinegar if necessary. Stir in basil at the end. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

BBQ Chicken Salad with cilantro dressing

2012-01-09T13:52:00.000-08:00

Yum! What a great salad recipe. The dressing is where the real wow factor is. I just cooked my chicken in a skillet with 1T olive oil then chopped it up and simmered it with the BBQ sauce for 10min or so. You could also slow cooker it and then shred it.

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups BBQ sauce, storebought or homemade
½ head iceberg lettuce, cored and chopped
2 romaine hearts, chopped
1/2 red onion diced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cubed small or shredded
4 ounces Monterey jack cheese, cubed small or shredded

Creamy BBQ Cilantro Lime Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise, light or regular
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 cup BBQ sauce

DIRECTIONS:
For the salad, combine the cooked chicken and BBQ sauce in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large bowl, toss together the iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, red onion, cilantro, corn, black beans and cheese. Toss the mixed salad with about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the dressing, if desired. Otherwise, you can serve the dressing on the side. Place salad on plates and top with the prepared BBQ chicken and additional dressing.

For the dressing, combine all the ingredients together and whisk (or shake, if using a jar) vigorously to combine. You could also run this through a blender to make it even more smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cowboy Caviar

2012-01-09T13:50:00.000-08:00

Next time you have a party, serve this as an appetizer. It is sure to be a crowd-pleaser! Or...pull a pregnancy-craving card and serve it as dinner! I might know someone who did that...

Mix the following ingredients and let the avacados marinate for at least thirty minutes:
Juice of one lime
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Tabasco
2 Tbsp veggie oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp salt
3 large (or 4 small) firm avacados, chopped

Combine the rest of the ingredients below and then add the avacados, gently mixing it all together:
1 can white beans
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
3 cups frozen corn (I defrosted mine a bit but you don't have to)
1 cup sliced green onions
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lb. cherry tomatoes, halved

Asian Beef Tacos

2012-01-05T13:38:00.000-08:00

Another home run recipe from Angela. Super, super easy to throw into the crockpot.

2-3 pounds beef roast
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 head garlic (peeled, but leave cloves intact--approx 10 cloves)
1/2 onion, diced
1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 whole jalapeno, diced

There's no way to make this complicated. Throw everything into your slow cooker. If you just can't handle the freedom, add the ingredients in alphabetical order. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Shred meat and serve with slaw on warm (or lightly fried) tortillas or rice.

Asian Slaw:
4 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
1 small red onion, finely chopped
pinch of salt and pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1⁄4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 - 1 tsp sriracha
1/2 tsp sugar

Toss cabbage, carrots, and onion. Season with salt and pepper.

Whisk together vinegar, mayonnaise, sesame oil, sriracha, and sugar until smooth. Taste; add more salt if needed. Pour dressing over vegetables and mix to combine.

Huevos Rancheros

2012-01-05T13:35:00.000-08:00

Last year Mark and I spent a night away together at Suncadia and spoiled ourselves with a room service breakfast. I ordered Huevos Rancheros and have been craving it since. I asked Mark if he'd find a recipe and make them for me one night. He combined a few different recipes to come up with this fabulous concoction. I HIGHLY recommend making these soon!

Black Beans:

4 cups canned black beans (rinse and drain them)

1 diced onion

1 diced bell pepper

1 diced jalapeno pepper

1 minced garlic clove

¾ can chicken broth

1 Tbsp olive oil

In a heavy pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, bell peppers, jalapeño, and garlic. Cook about 2-3 minutes. Add beans and chicken broth. Simmer until heated throughout.

Salsa Fresca:

Next make a quick salsa fresca with diced tomatoes, some red onion, a minced jalapeno, salt and a good squeeze or two of lime juice. If you’re the cilantro type, you can mix that in as well. (A good pico de gallo from the store will work as well.)

Huevos Rancheros:

6 inch corn tortillas

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Eggs

Vegetable oil

Avocado (if desired)

First you heat a 6-inch corn tortilla in an oiled pan. When it is golden brown underneath, flip it over. (Don’t worry, you’ll brown it a bit more in a moment.) Sprikle some shredded cheddar over the browned side and let it melt a bit. I like to make a hole in the middle with the cheese, so that the egg stays centered in the tortilla. Break a single egg over the melting cheese. Don’t worry if it rolls over the edges, that’s all part of the tasty mess of it. Season it with salt and pepper. When the white is about halfway set (i.e., the edges and some of the egg on the tortilla), flip the whole thing over. For me, this is when the mess always strikes as the yolk is just itching to run off the spatula as I flip it. Cook it for a few minutes on the other side, flip it back onto a plate and you’re done. Top with the black beans, salsa fresca and avocado.

Panettone Bread Pudding with Amaretto Sauce

2012-01-02T19:36:00.000-08:00

Last year Mark and I ate a delicious dinner at the Boat Street Cafe. A friend of Mark's suggested we order the amaretto bread pudding for dessert. Bread pudding is certainly not a dessert I would chose on my own. I'm more prone to order a warm chocolate cake. However, this bread pudding was out. of. this. world. Amazing! I've been dreaming about it since and was excited to find this recipe to try out. It was also fantastic! Panettone bread is only around at Christmas time but I think it would be just as delicious made with a loaf of raisin bread. Also, if you live in the Seattle area, come over and borrow 1/4 c. of Amaretto. I've got plenty to go around!

Sauce:
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup amaretto liqueur
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Bread Pudding:
1 (1-pound) loaf panettone bread, crusts trimmed, bread cut into 1-inch cubes
8 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/4 cups sugar

Directions
To make the sauce: Bring the cream, milk, and sugar to a boil in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. In a small bowl, mix the amaretto and cornstarch to blend and then whisk into the cream mixture. Simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Set aside and keep warm. (The amaretto sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before serving.)

To make the bread pudding: Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Arrange the bread cubes in the prepared dish. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, milk, and sugar to blend. Pour the custard over the bread cubes, and press the bread cubes gently to submerge. Let stand for 30 minutes, occasionally pressing the bread cubes into the custard mixture. (Recipe can be prepared up to this point 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake until the pudding puffs and is set in the center, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly. Spoon the bread pudding into bowls, drizzle with the warm amaretto sauce, and serve.

My Top 11 Recipes of 2011

2011-12-16T21:30:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be fun to list the recipes from this past year that were my all-time favorites. So... if you see any you haven't made already, get on it! In no particular order...

Greek Nachos

Jalapeno Popper Spread

Crispy Black Bean Tacos

Scones

French Dip Sandwiches

Baked Potato Soup

Buffalo Chicken Panini

Zucchini Cream Cheese Bacon Quiche

Sweet Potato Foil Packet Tacos

Taco Pizza

Too Much Chocolate Cake

If you have made some of these, which has been your favorite?

"Homemade" Chicken Noodle Soup

2011-12-16T21:23:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: Pioneer Woman

I've been craving some hearty chicken noodle soup and I was all gung-ho about making homemade noodles until I saw this recipe on Pioneer Woman's site. I had never seen frozen noodles, but sure enough they were in my Safeway's freezer case. I also am not a "debone a cut up fryer chicken" kind of gal so I just used chicken breasts and chicken stock/water. So, it's really not all that homemade but it tasted great :)

1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken
2 whole Carrots, Diced
2 stalks Celery, Diced
1/2 whole Medium Onion, Diced (optional)
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
1/4 teaspoon White Pepper (more To Taste)
1/4 teaspoon Ground Thyme
2 teaspoons Parsley Flakes
16 ounces, weight Frozen "homemade" Egg Noodles (I used the brand Reames)
3 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour

Preparation Instructions
Cover chicken in 4 quarts water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove chicken from pot with a slotted spoon. With two forks, remove as much meat from the bones as you can, slightly shredding meat in the process. Return bones to broth and simmer on low, covered, for 45 minutes.
Remove bones from broth with a slotted spoon, making sure to get any small bones that might have detached.
Add the carrots and celery (and onions, if using) to the pot, followed by the herbs and spices. Stir to combine and simmer for ten minutes to meld flavors.
Increase heat and add frozen egg noodles and chicken. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
Mix flour and a little water. Stir until smooth. Pour into soup, stir to combine, and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until broth thickens a bit. Test and adjust seasonings as needed.

Tex-Mex Beef Brunch Quiche

2011-12-16T21:21:00.000-08:00

I love quiche, I love mexican food. Can't go wrong with this one.

Pastry dough for 1-crust 9-inch pie
1 pound Kirkland Signature lean ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
5 eggs
1/2 cup cold water
1 1/2 cups nacho or taco shredded cheese blend

Method of Tex Mex Beef Brunch Quiche Recipe
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Line a 9-inch pie pan with pastry dough; set aside.

3. Sauté ground beef until browned; drain off fat. Remove from the heat and stir in salt, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, green onion and tomatoes.

4. Place eggs and water in a bowl and blend well.

5. Layer the ground beef mixture, egg mixture and cheese in the pie shell.

6. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until set. Makes 6-8 servings.

Crispy Prosciutto and Scallion Frittata

2011-12-16T21:19:00.000-08:00

The pan I used for this recipe was too big, which means it was too thin, which means I over cooked it and it was dry. But I still wanted to post it because I think it could be really good. Just don't use a 12" skillet.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into 1-inch pieces
8 large eggs
3 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
Heat oven to 350° F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in an ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook, stirring, for 1 ½ minutes.
Add prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, Parmesan, and pepper. Pour into the skillet and stir.
Bake until browned around the edges and puffed (a knife should come out clean), 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, divide the arugula among plates. Drizzle with the remaining oil, sprinkle with salt, and top with goat cheese.
Cut the frittata into triangles and serve with the salad.

Zucchini, Potato and Ham Soup

2011-12-16T21:14:00.000-08:00

I didn't have any potatoes so I used gnocchi in my recipe. Mark liked the gnocchi twist, I think I would have preferred potatoes better.

1 tablespoon butter
2 onions, chopped
2 large yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as Yukon gold (about 1 pound total), peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 zucchini (about 1 pound total), sliced 1/4 inch thick
Salt
One 32-ounce container (4 cups) chicken broth
Two 1/4-inch-thick slices cooked ham (about 8 ounces), finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
Pinch nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Add the potatoes and zucchini and season with salt. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil; cover, lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Using a blender, partially puree the soup, leaving some chunks. Stir in the ham, dill and nutmeg and serve with bread.

Sweet Smothered Pork Enchiladas

2011-12-16T21:07:00.000-08:00

I guess I've been on an Angela kick lately. Another one of her great recipes. Make this one for sure!

2 1/2 pounds pork, any cut
salt and pepper
garlic powder
flour tortillas (8-10 large or 15-20 small)
2 10 0z. cans mild green chilie enchilada sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar (I know it seems like a lot but it's not)
1 can black beans, rinsed and well drained
chopped cilantro
1 cup monteray jack cheese, grated

Cut pork into large cubes and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place cubes in slow cooker and add 1/3 cup water. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8. Remove from cooker, letting juices drain off. Place meat in large bowl and shred. Mix in 1/2 cup chilie sauce, brown sugar and black beans. Stir until well combined. This is your enchilada filling.

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Pour 1/2 cup chilie sauce in bottom of dish. Working with one tortilla at a time, spoon meat mixture and chopped cilantro (to taste) in center and roll up. Place seam side down in dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour the rest of chilie sauce over enchiladas and top with grated cheese.

Bake 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is fully melted and bubbly. Broil for 1-2 minutes to add a little texture if you want.

Monster Cookies

2011-12-16T21:01:00.000-08:00

I was introduced to this recipe in college and it's a definite love of mine. I wish it was possible to live off these. They almost feel like they could be healthy because of the oats and peanut butter, but they so aren't. :) It's not a coincidence that I gained 3 pounds the week I made these. Dear baby Harper, sorry about all the M&Ms you've been digesting this week. Love, Mom

6 eggs
3 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons corn syrup
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter
3 cups peanut butter
9 cups rolled oats
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups candy-coated milk chocolate pieces (M&Ms)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a very large bowl, beat the eggs.
Add the remaining ingredients in order, mixing well. (Mixing with hands in the end is usually necessary)
Use an ice cream scoop (or a 1/4 cup) to put on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Do NOT over bake!

Mexican Bubble Pizza

2011-12-16T20:33:00.000-08:00

The name alone drew me to this recipe.

1 lb ground beef
1 package taco seasoning mix
3/4 c. water
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed tomato soup (I used a can of enchilada sauce)
1 can Grands Refrigerated biscuits
2 c. shredded Mexican cheese
2 c. shredded lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 c. salsa
1 (2.25 oz) can ripe olives, drained
sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large skillet brown the hamburger. Drain. Add taco seasoning, water and soup (or enchilada sauce) and mix well. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Separate the dough into 8 biscuits. Cut the biscuits into 8 pieces each. Add the pieces to the beef mixture and gently stir. Spoon into a greased 9x13 in. glass dish.

4. Bake in oven for 20-22 min or until the sauce is bubbly and biscuits are golden brown. Sprinkle with cheese and bake another 10 minutes longer, or until cheese is bubbly.

Top with remaining ingredients!

Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2011-12-08T13:23:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: Food Network

Jaime made this recipe for one of our dinner swap meals and I was looking for an excuse to make it again! I made a big batch for community group and it was a big hit.

1 packet teriyaki marinade (recommended: McCormick Grill Mates) (I found in the asian section)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
3 1/2 pounds pork shoulder
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup chili sauce
1 (6-ounce) can pineapple juice
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
8 hamburger rolls
HAWAIIAN SAUCE:
2 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
2 teaspoons garlic, chopped

Directions
In small bowl, combine teriyaki mix, paprika and pepper.
Coat the pork the with rub mixture, patting until all rub is used. Set aside.
In a bowl whisk together the chicken broth, brown sugar, soy sauce, chili sauce and pineapple juice. Set aside.
Put the chopped onions and carrots in a 5-quart slow cooker. Place the pork on top of the carrots and onions and pour half of the pineapple juice mixture over pork. Reserve remainder for Hawaiian sauce. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. The meat should fall apart easily. Remove the roast from the slow cooker to a cutting board. Using 2 forks carefully pull the meat into shreds. Serve the pork on rolls drizzled with the Hawaiian sauce or on the side for dipping. Reserve the remaining pulled pork for the Round 2 Recipes, Pulled Pork Pot Stickers and Hawaiian Pizza.
HAWAIIAN SAUCE:
In a medium pot heat the oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining pineapple juice mixture, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Vegetable and Navy Bean Soup

2011-11-28T21:11:00.000-08:00

This recipe is perfect for fall- it's so comforting. Thanks Ang for another great recipe!

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 small red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1/4 tsp dried thyme
salt to taste
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups water
10 ounces spinach
1 can nay beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp red-wine vinegar, optional
pepper

In a large nonstick skillet or heavy pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and potatoes; cook until onion is lightly crowned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add mushrooms, thyme, and salt; cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, and 2 cups water; cover, and cook until potatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add half the spinach; cover, and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Add remaining spinach and beans; cook (covered) until heated through. Stir in 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar if desired. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.

Chai Oatmeal

2011-11-28T21:08:00.000-08:00

Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! I thought the chai flavor would be super powerful because it is made with a chai concentrate but it was just the perfect amount of spicy sweetness. I added a splash of milk at the end to make it creamier.

1.5 cups of Oregon Chai concentrate
2/3 cups rolled oats
1 T oat bran
1/4 cup oven toasted thinly sliced almonds
Milk

Place chai, rolled oats and oat bran in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, stir and turn off the burner. Cover and let sit for at least 5 min in the saucepan. Stir the oatmeal into bowls. Sprinkle with toasted almonds. Add a splash of milk.

Potato Chips

2011-11-28T21:06:00.000-08:00

Jaime Green first served these when she had us over for dinner and I was so impressed that they were made in the microwave. They are incredibly tasty and crispy. We used our mandoline to cut them super thin. The only downside of the recipe is that they are so tasty you will want a lot of them so your microwave will be running for a long time.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 potato, sliced paper thin (peel optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Pour the vegetable oil into a plastic bag. Add the potato slices, and shake to coat.
Coat a large dinner plate lightly with oil or cooking spray. Arrange potato slices in a single layer on the dish.
Cook in the microwave for 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned (important- if not browned, they will not become crisp). Times will vary depending on the power of your microwave. Remove chips from plate, and toss with salt (or other seasonings). Let cool. Repeat process with the remaining potato slices. You will not need to keep oiling the plate.

Whole Wheat Walnut Muffins

2011-11-26T17:36:00.000-08:00

Another great recipe from Angela!

1/4 cup butter or margarine, cut up
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or other nuts
1 Tbsp. sugar
Optional variation: Add 3/4 cup peeled, chopped apple

Preheat oven to 425. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until well mixed. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and blend. Add flour, baking powder, salt and nuts and mix until moistened.

Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin tins, filling them about three-fourths full. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Better Food Pictures Coming Soon!

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

My husband has been researching small point and shoots for months now. A few weeks ago we settled on the Canon Powershot ELPH 300 HS because of it's phenomenal reviews on Cnet. The thing I'm most excited about is it's ability to shoot in less-than-ideal lighting. I take so many pictures of my kids (and food) inside and a flash just never looks as nice as natural lighting. It also takes HD video! So, we were waiting for the black Friday deals to come out and as we looked through the paper yesterday, we quickly figured out that amazon had the best deal anyway. The price is the same as the Black Friday sales ($149) but it comes with a free mini HDMI cable and a 4GB Memory Card. Check out the deal HERE.

Coconut Chicken Tenders

2011-11-20T21:58:00.000-08:00

I am so sad about it getting dark at 4:15pm now. Not only is it just getting dark too early, but it also means no more natural light for food photos. So, you'll have to just believe me when I tell you things are yummy that look terrible. This recipe was great! I made it right before heading out to see the newest Twilight movie with some girlfriends so I totally smelled like fry-ups for the whole night but it was worth it because these were so good! Did I just admit to seeing Twilight movies in the theaters? Don't judge.

2 lbs of chicken tenders
1 1/2 cups of panko bread crumbs (can be found in the Asian aisle of grocery stores)
1 cup of shredded sweetened coconut
1 egg
1/2 can of condensed milk
1/2 cup of orange juice
salt and pepper to taste
Peanut Oil for frying (I used veggie oil)

Directions:
On a cookie sheet, season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix orange juice, condensed milk, and a beaten egg until your “wet” mixture is well incorporated. In another bowl, mix coconut and panko crumbs.
Heat peanut oil in a medium pan or skillet on medium-high heat. Fill pan to about 1/2″ of oil. Dip and fully coat each tender in the egg mixture first and then the panko/coconut mix.
Set each coated chicken on a cookie cooling rack.
Fry each tender for 6-8 minutes until golden brown. Serve with Honey Mustard dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Honey Mustard:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice or juice from 1/2 lemon
Horseradish, to taste (I didn't use any)
2 tablespoons orange juice (more or less as needed)

Combine all ingredients except orange juice; stir well. Thin to pouring consistency for dressing or dipping consistency for dips with orange juice. Cover and chill for 2 or 3 hours.

Crockpot Indian Curry Recipe

2011-11-20T21:54:00.000-08:00

Jackie passed along this yummy recipe. The flavors were mild enough for the kids but I needed more dashes of Frank's hot sauce to kick it up a notch!

1 13.5 oz can of coconut milk (don't use the light, it doesn't taste as good. or use the light and then stir in heavy cream at the end.)
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
4-6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken thighs (I used 2 huge chicken breasts)
1 T tomato paste
2 T curry powder (not a typo, it's a lot, but it's good. Curry isn't spicy, just flavorful)
1 t ground coriander
1 t ground cumin
1 inch peeled and grated ginger
few dashes of hot sauce (I used Frank's)
1 yellow onion. chopped
2 or 3 cloves of smashed and chopped garlic
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped

Assemble all of your spices, coconut milk, tobasco sauce, and tomato paste. Combine the sauce ingredients in the bottom of your crockpot. The sauce will be a lovely yellow.

Add the chicken, flipping it over a few times to coat it nicely. Pour in the garbanzo beans.

Wash and chop all of the vegetables, and then add to the Crock-Pot. Don't worry about stirring them in the sauce. Let them sit on top of the chicken and steam away.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 4-6. Stir carefully to mix flavors. If you stir too rough, the sweet potato will fall apart.

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

2011-11-20T21:36:00.000-08:00

This is a must make fall dessert. Simply amazing. It has a lot of steps (multiple rising steps) so be sure to do it on a day when you have time to be in the kitchen. But... the buttery pumpkin gooey-ness is so worth it!

Bread
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups bread flour

1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Buttered Glaze
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown 2 tablespoons of butter, letting it bubble up and turn a dark golden brown but being careful not to allow it burn (turn black). Once browned, remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the milk, return to stove and heat through.**** Pour the milk and butter into the bowl of standing mixer (fitted with a dough hook) and allow to cool so it is no longer hot but also not cool (about 100-110 degrees F). Once it has reached a warm but not hot temperature add the yeast and 1/4 cup of sugar and allow to proof (this can take up to 8 minutes, the top will look foamy and the liquid cloudy). Then add the the pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Stir until combined then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time and knead for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky. If the dough is too moist, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

Move dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.

While dough is rising, brown another 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well. Making sure sugar evenly absorbs the butter. Set aside. Next, grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and flip out onto a clean floured surface and knead with hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a 20x12 inch rectangle. Evenly sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture and press into dough with palms of the hand. Cut the rectangle into 6 strips. Lay strips on top of each other and cut each strip into 6 even squares (cut in half then each half into thirds). Stack strips vertically into the loaf pan. Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes.

In the meantime, preheat an oven to 350 degrees. After rising in the pan bake for 30-40 minutes (ours took almost an hour and required covering with foil half-way through so it wouldn't get too brown) or until top is a very deep golden brown.

To prepare the glaze, heat the butter, milk, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to boil then immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and powdered sugar.

**** Adding it cold to the butter can result in clumping. I heated the milk separately in the microwave before adding.

Lemon Chicken with Croutons

2011-11-20T20:30:00.000-08:00

Angela passed on this recipe because she knows me so well and knew I would love it. She also knows that I don't do "whole birds". I'm totally a wimp when it comes meat with bones in it. So my AMAZING hubby did all the removing of giblets, washing of the chicken, etc. Ugh. I'm gagging just writing those words. But, it was so worth it because it was SO tasty as a finish product.

1 roasting chicken, at least 3 pounds
1 large onion, sliced
olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper
2 lemons, quartered
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 cup chicken broth
6 cups bread cubes (1 baguette cut up)
1/2 tsp garlic salt

Preheat oven to 425.

Wash chicken inside and out (remove giblets if they're still inside). Toss the onion with a little olive oil in a small roasting pan. Place the chicken on top and sprinkle the inside of the cavity with salt and pepper. Place lemons inside chicken. Pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels, brush it with the melter butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.

Roast chicken for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Check onions after 45min.-1 hour. When they are getting crispy and really browned, add chicken broth. Cover with foil and allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan with 2 Tbsp of olive oil or until very hot. Lower the heat to medium and saute the bread cubes, tossing frequently, until nicely browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add more olive oil, as needed, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp garlic salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Remove croutons from heat.

Slice chicken (or just kinda piece it off the bone) and place it on a serving platter. Put croutons on top of chicken, then pour juices and onions on top. Serve immediately.

BBQ Cabbage & Sausage Stuffed Sandwiches

2011-11-17T20:06:00.000-08:00

Photo credit: The kitchn

Kristi passed along this recipe and it was AWESOME! Mark was hesitant when he heard there was cabbage in them but after one bite was raving about how great they were. He said, "I think this is one of the best meals we have made in awhile!" Try them out- you won't be sorry.

1 pound sausage, either raw or smoked
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 small white onion, diced (optional)
1 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 pound provolone cheese, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound bread dough or 8 to 16 premade dough rolls, thawed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Crumble the sausage into a large sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat until browned and completely cooked through. Drain the fat. Add the cabbage, garlic, and onion (if using) and cook over medium heat until wilted and soft. Add BBQ sauce and stir frequently until warm. Add the cheese to the pan and stir continuously so it doesn't stick or burn. When the cheese has just melted, remove pan from heat and set aside. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.
Preheat oven to 450°. Taking a small amount of dough (slightly larger than a clementine and smaller than a baseball) press it flat with your hands and pull gently on the sides — like you were making a mini pizza crust. Place dough in the palm of your hand or on a flat surface and spoon 1/4 cup of the mixture onto the dough. Working quickly pinch together the ends, folding them over gently to ensure they stay closed. Flip the ball over and rub gently on the counter in a small circular motion to regain its shape.
Lay each ball on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper that's been lightly floured. When tray is full, brush the tops with butter, sprinkle with salt and bake for 15 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
Allow to cool completely if freezing or refrigerating (otherwise the bread will get soggy) or enjoy while still warm!

Apple Pumpkin Oven Pancake

2011-11-15T20:43:00.000-08:00

Thank you Beth Thompson for this delicious breakfast recipe! Our pancake took about 40min to cook all the way through. We served it for company and it was demolished by the four of us.

4 large eggs
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
2/3 cup whole milk
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
4 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, divided
3 tablespoons butter, divided
4 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into 3/8-inch slices
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Heat the oven to 425 F. Place a large cast-iron skillet or a 10- or
11-inch round souffle or casserole dish in the oven to heat.

In a blender, combine the eggs, pumpkin, milk, flour, vanilla, salt, 1
teaspoon of the cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar. Blend
for a few seconds to just mix the ingredients. Scrape the sides and
blend again to incorporate. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the
butter. Add the apples and saute until just tender, about 5 to 7
minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and
1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Stir to coat the apples, then remove the
skillet from the heat.

Remove the cast-iron skillet from the oven and add the remaining 1
tablespoon of butter, tilting to coat the bottom.

Spoon the sauteed apples over the bottom of the cast-iron skillet.
Pour the batter over the hot apples, then bake until puffed and golden
brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve
immediately.

Custom Cookbook Groupon

2011-11-14T17:19:00.000-08:00

For the next 6 days, groupon is offering 60% off one or two custom cookbooks from Picaboo. You can compile an original cookbook with a glossy hardcover. What a wonderful Christmas gift idea! For my 30th birthday, my husband had friends submit favorite recipes which he turned into a cookbook for me. It was one of my favorite gifts ever! Not only would it be perfect for any friend of family member for Christmas but it's also a very thoughtful gift for newlyweds!

Egg Nog French Toast

2011-11-05T20:12:00.000-07:00

I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE egg nog! We found this gem of a recipe on the side of the egg nog carton:

Melt 2T of butter in a pan. Dredge 3 slices of bread in egg nog and then fry in pan on both sides until golden brown. For the next three slices of bread, add another 2 T of butter. The BIG kicker for us was using cinnamon chip bread. AMAZING!

Apple-Cheddar-Squash Soup

2011-11-05T20:05:00.000-07:00

Stephanie brought this recipe to Jaime's harvest party and I fell in love! I wasn't sure Mark would go for it (in a true confession he told me he thought it was going to be gross) but he really enjoyed it! Try it- it might surprise you too!

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 medium apples, thinly sliced
1 large white potato, diced
1 1/2 cups chopped peeled butternut squash, fresh or frozen
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup apple cider
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into bite-size pieces (optional)
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish
Chopped chives, for garnish (optional)
Crusty bread, for serving (optional)

Directions
Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium-low heat and add the onion, apples, potato and squash. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in the sage and flour. Add the cider and cook over high heat, stirring, until thickened. Add the broth and milk, cover and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the potato is soft, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto and cook until crisp, turning occasionally, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Add the cheese to the soup and stir over medium-low heat until melted. Puree in a blender in batches until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the prosciutto, more cheese and chives, if using. Serve with bread, if desired.

Greek Chicken Pitas

2011-11-05T20:03:00.000-07:00

I used this recipe for the chicken and packed the rest of the pita with the veggies I wanted.

1 Lemon, Juiced
4 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Cup White Wine
1/4 Cup Chicken Broth
1 tsp Dill
1 tsp Rosemary
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Whole Chicken, Broken into it's Respective Pieces (I used 2 LARGE boneless, skinless breasts)
Lettuce
Cucumbers
Bell Peppers
Tzatziki Sauce
Pitas

Directions:
Add all the ingredients with the exception of the chicken to the marinade.

Mix up well.

Add in the chicken and coat all the pieces completely.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours.

Pack into pitas with veggies of your choice.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

2011-11-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

What a fun fall recipe! So soft and chewy! Now what to do with these 3 cookies that are out for the picture...hmmmm...someone's got to eat them!

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup pure unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

ROLLING SUGAR:
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter until fluffy. Add sugars and pumpkin puree and beat well. Mix in egg and vanilla, scraping down sides of the bowl to incorporate all of the ingredients.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon. Beat flour mixture into liquid mixture a little at a time just until incorporated.

3. Cover dough with plastic and chill at least an hour, or until dough becomes slightly firm.

4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or spray with nonstick spray). Mix rolling sugar ingredients in a small bowl.

5. Remove cookie dough from refrigerator. Use a medium cookie scoop (1 1/2 Tablespoons) or a large spoon to scoop out dough and roll into balls. Use your hands to roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar and make sure they're coated really well. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Use a glass with a nice, flat bottom to dip in sugar and flatten the balls.

6. Bake at 350°F. for 10 to 14 minutes, or until they are slightly firm to the touch. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes or so, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips:
*Store in an airtight container. These cookies freeze well too. Place them in freezer zip bag and remove from freezer when the craving hits.

Broccoli Cheese Cornbread

2011-10-31T21:03:00.000-07:00

Another great recipe from Angela. Am I allowed to give a simple side dish 5 stars? I had to stop myself from eating the whole pan, so I guess so. Please serve hot out of the oven! I served it with butter beans.

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
4 oz. frozen chopped broccoli, slightly thawed (I chopped mine even more, making the pieces fairly small)
4 oz. small curd cottage cheese
2 eggs
6 Tbsp. butter, softened so it's just beginning to melt
1/4 tsp. onion salt

Mix everything together well in a large bowl. Pour into a lightly greased square dish. Cook at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

Cream Cheese Chicken and Vegetable Soup

2011-10-31T21:01:00.000-07:00

This recipe is creamy, hearty and comforting. I love the idea of adding cream cheese to a soup. I'll keep that idea in mind for chowders in the future. I thought it required lots of salt and pepper but that's how I like my soup! I did 3 potatoes and 2 huge chicken breasts and it was enough soup to split into two and freeze half.

2 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup diced carrots (about 2 regular carrots or a handful of baby carrots)
3 cups chicken broth
2-3 potatoes, peeled and finely diced
1 cup milk (1% is my milk of choice)
4 tablespoons flour
1 (8 oz. package) regular or light cream cheese
2-3 (about 1 pound) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
salt and pepper (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:
In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Saute, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, until the veggies are slightly tender and the onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. In a liquid measuring cup, vigorously whisk the flour and milk together until smooth. Whisk the mixture into the soup, stirring quickly, and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken slightly. Stir often to ensure the soup doesn’t burn. Soften the cream cheese in the microwave until it is very soft/melty. I usually place the unwrapped cream cheese on a plate and microwave it for one minute at 30% power. I like it really, really soft so it doesn’t leave lumps in the soup. Add the cream cheese to the soup in small tablespoon-size pieces. Let the pieces sit in the soup and warm through then whisk or stir the soup until the cream cheese melts and mixes in well. Add the cooked chicken and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Pumpkin Chili

2011-10-24T21:08:00.000-07:00

Jaime's pumpkin party is always an excuse to find a fun, new recipe.

2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained
1 (46 fluid ounce) can tomato juice (I like my chili thick so I only used about half of this amount)
1 (28 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes with juice
1 15 oz. can canned pumpkin puree
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup chili powder
2 t. cumin
2 T. white sugar

In a large pot over medium heat, cook beef until brown; drain. Stir in onion and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes. Stir in beans, tomato juice, diced tomatoes and pumpkin puree. Season with pumpkin pie spice, chili powder and sugar. Simmer 1 hour.

Lebanese Chicken

2011-10-24T21:04:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: Let's Eat

Angela and I challenged each other to make one of our own favorite fall meals. This is the challenge she sent me. Our whole family devoured it but next time I will add more seasoning. I felt like it needed a little paprika, thyme and cumin.

2 large chicken breasts, rubbed with salt and then cut in bite-sized chunks
4 medium potatoes, cut into 1'" cubes
4-5 roma tomatoes, cut into large chunks
1 med onion, cut in half and thinnly sliced
1/3 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-1 tsp. salt
1/4-1/2 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 375.
Start by putting the potatoes in a 9x13 pyrex dish. Add the tomatoes and then onions on top.
Combine the lemon juice, apple juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Pour juice mixture on top of vegetables.
Bake for 25 minutes, uncovered.
Spread chicken on top of vegetables and spoon the juice over the chicken.
Bake for another 15-40 minutes - until potatoes are tender and chicken is done. (my oven is ghetto and cooks things VERY slowly so it took me another 40min to get the potatoes tender)
We liked it with pita wedges/chips, and hummus!

Shrimp Salad with Lime-Buttermilk Dressing

2011-10-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

Loved this recipe! I was chopping it up really fine for the kids and had the idea to put it in a flatbread wrap. I think I would have liked it better just as a salad. So refreshing!

3/4 cup buttermilk
1 avocado, halved, pitted and peeled
1 tsp lime zest, plus 1/4 cup lime juice (from 2 limes)
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 hearts romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

In a blender, combine buttermilk, avocado, lime zest and juice, and 2 tablespoons water. Blend until smooth, 20 seconds. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Cook until opaque throughout, about 3 minutes, flipping once. In a large bowl, toss together romaine, pumpkin seeds, cilantro, shrimp, and 1 cup dressing until combined and serve immediately.

Dressing can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.

Flatbread Pizza with Feta, Caramelized Onions and Spinach

2011-10-17T15:32:00.000-07:00

Simple and tasty! Next time I would try Naan.

Naan or other flat bread
Alfredo sauce (either store bought from a jar or home made, but you only need a tiny bit)
Fresh baby spinach leaves
Cooked chicken, rotisserie chicken, fauxtisserie chicken, pre-cooked frozen strips, baked, etc.
Caramelized onions*
Feta cheese

Layer the above ingredients on flatbread and cook in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Slice and serve!

*To caramelizing onions, just thinly slice onions and saute them in a skillet on med-low heat with a couple of pats of butter. After about 15 minutes when they’re nice and soft add a sprinkle of sugar (either brown or white) if you want to enhance the sweetness. Continue cooking until they’re caramel colored. It can take 20-30 minutes depending on the heat of your pan and the thickness of the onion. You could make them ahead of time and just store them in the fridge.

Ode to the Red Plates

2011-10-17T15:31:00.000-07:00

We've had our signature red plates since we've been married but unfortunately, it is time to part with them. Apparently us, our kids or our dishwasher were too rough on them. We could not stop chipping them! So sad! So my gracious mother-in-law took the few plates that weren't chipped (she has the set as well) and gave me an entire set of bone china. She says that they are really hard to chip. We'll see how they fare in the Heaviland household. R.I.P. Red Plates!

Plum Apple Muffins

2011-10-17T15:27:00.000-07:00

My friend Carol gave me some delicious spiced plum butter and this recipe which was amazing. If you don't have a fabulous friend who will make you plum butter, than you can make some using this recipe :)

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups natural bran
2/3 cups lightly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp each: baking powder, baking soda and ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup spiced plum butter
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup molasses
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1. Stir together flour, bran, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a bowl
2. Stir the rest of the ingredients together in another bowl
3. Stir liquid into dry ingredients just until moistened; do not over mix.
4. Pour batter into a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 6 days, until ready to use. To bake muffins: spoon batter into lightly greased non-stick or paper-lined medium muffin tins. Bake at 375 for 18 min. or until muffins are lightly browned and firm to touch, cool!

Peanut Butter Nutella Brownies

2011-10-17T15:25:00.000-07:00

I better back off on recipes like this before my gestational diabetes test later this month...

½ cups All-purpose Flour
½ cups Cocoa Powder
¼ teaspoons Baking Powder
1 pinch Salt
1 cup Sugar
1 stick Butter, Melted
2 whole Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla
¼ cups Peanut Butter
¼ cups Nutella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
Measure flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a small bowl and whisk to combine.
Stir the sugar into the melted butter. Beat in the eggs one at a time until each is combined. Then stir in the vanilla. Then add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Put the Nutella and Peanut Butter in a small bowl and microwave until runny (about 30 seconds). Fold into the brownie mix.
Pour batter into pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until top forms a crust. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes, then cut the size to your liking.

Turtle Brownies

2011-10-17T15:23:00.001-07:00

Another brownie recipe anyone?

1 box (1 lb 2.4 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme Premium brownie mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box
36 caramels, unwrapped (from 14 oz bag)
3 tablespoons whipping cream
1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chunks (from 11.5 oz bag)
2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom and sides 9-inch square pan with baking spray with flour. Make brownie batter as directed on box. Spread 1/2 of batter in pan. Bake 18 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in large microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and whipping cream uncovered on High 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until smooth.

3. Pour caramel over partially baked brownie; spread to within 1/4 inch of edges. Sprinkle with 2/3 cup of the chocolate chunks and 1/3 cup of the pecans. Drop remaining brownie batter by small spoonfuls onto caramel layer. Sprinkle with remaining 2/3 cup chocolate chunks and 1/3 cup pecans.

4. Bake 34 to 37 minutes longer or until center is almost set. Cool 1 hour at room temperature. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour before serving. For brownies, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature.

Chocolate Cake

2011-10-17T15:23:00.000-07:00

Back in the days, Costco used to sell an amazing chocolate bundt cake with white icing. It was at the top of my store-bought dessert list. For my birthday this year, Mark tried to recreate it (thought up the idea by himself) and came up with a cake even BETTER than Costco's version. Woah, momma...this is good. So here are the cake and frosting recipes. Hot out of the oven is obviously amazing but otherwise, refrigerate it and eat it cold!

Cake
1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased 12 cup bundt pan.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate If desired, dust the cake with powdered sugar.

Frosting
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a double boiler over hot, but not boiling water, combine chocolate chips, butter, and corn syrup. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, then add vanilla.
Spread warm glaze over top of cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.

Little Dipper CrockPot Chocolate Fondue

2011-10-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

I wanted to plan a fondue home date for Mark and I put I couldn't find our fondue pot for the life of me. Of course, the one time in 7 years I want to use it! So, I borrowed my friend's little dipper and made this recipe. It was sooooooooo yummy!

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet, dark, milk, or white. Your choice.)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla

If you do not have a Little Dipper (psst. the holidays are coming...) you can put an oven-safe dish inside of a larger crockpot. Do not add water. There's no need to create a water bath for melting chocolate in the crockpot. It melts nice and slow. Or! you can quintuple the recipe and have a good ol' time.

Put chocolate chips in the crockpot. Add the heavy cream and teaspoon of vanilla. Cover. Plug in and cook on low (or the ON setting for the LD) for about an hour. Stir.

Serve with apple chunks, banana slices, cubes of pound cake, mini chocolate chip cookies, strawberries, or marshmallows.

Sweet Potato Foil Packet Tacos

2011-10-17T14:44:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: Tasty Kitchen

Carol first brought this recipe for community group one night and I fell in love! So, I quadrupled the recipe and made it for my dinner swap!

½ pounds Ground Beef Or Turkey
2 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
½ cups Tomato Sauce
1 can (15 Oz. Can) Black, Kidney, Or Pinto Beans, Drained
6 cups Sweet Potatoes, Peeled And Cut Into 1/2-inch Cubes
2 Tablespoons Butter
½ teaspoons Salt
1-½ cup Chopped Fresh Spinach
1-½ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream, Salsa, And/or Guacamole For Garnish

Preheat oven to 425ºF.
Brown ground meat in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and beans. Set aside.
To assemble packets, spray the foil with non-stick spray. Place 1 cup sweet potato cubes in the center of each piece. Top with a small piece of butter (about 1 teaspoon) and a pinch or two of salt. Sprinkle some chopped spinach over the sweet potatoes, followed by about 1/3 cup of taco meat and a sprinkle of cheese. Fold the sides in, then bring the top and bottom ends of the foil together in the center and fold, sealing the packet.
Repeat with remaining ingredients, placing the packets on a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender.
Serve with sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole.
Makes 6 servings.

Southwestern Cobb Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

2011-10-17T14:42:00.000-07:00

My sister made this recipe for my birthday and it was AMAZING!

Chicken Marinade:
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2-3 limes)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Black Bean Salsa:
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 sweet onion (I used vidalia), diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil

Yellow Pepper Salsa:
1 yellow pepper, seeded, and diced
1 tomato, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 can large olives, coarsely chopped
1/2 sweet onion (I used vidalia), diced

Avocado Salsa:
2 ripe avocados, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4-5 large eggs
6-8 slices thick-cut bacon (I used turkey bacon – it was delicious)
1 medium head romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn into 1-inch pieces

For the chicken marinade, in a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cumin and red pepper flakes. Place the chicken breasts in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Close the bag and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.

Heat a grill to medium-high heat (an indoor grill pan or skillet could be used also). Grill the chicken until it is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes per side. Cool the chicken completely then cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Cover and remove from the heat. Let the eggs sit for 13 minutes then rinse them under cold water until they are completely cooled. Peel and coarsely chop the eggs. Set aside.

Cook the bacon over medium heat until it is crisp. Drain on paper towels. When cool, crumble and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the yellow pepper, tomatoe, olives, and 1/2 of the sweet onion. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the black beans, 1/4 cup cilantro and onion. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In another bowl (don’t worry, we are almost done with the excess of bowls), combine the avocado, 1/4 cup cilantro, juice of 2 limes, cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

On a large platter (or large bowl), arrange the romaine lettuce. Arrange the chicken in a strip down the middle of the romaine. On either side, make piled strips of the eggs, bacon, yellow pepper mixture, black bean mixture and avocado mixture. Drizzle with dressing or serve it on the side. The easiest way to serve this on a platter is with a pair of tongs. If using a large bowl, gently toss to combine all the ingredients before serving.

Spinach Salad with Soy Ginger Dressing

2011-09-28T19:57:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I eat salads because they are healthy. Sometimes I eat them because they are delicious. This is a delicious one. Thank you Becky for passing along this great recipe!

Dressing Ingredients:
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 tsp dark sesame oil
2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
Juice of 1 orange
1 tsp honey

Combine all ingredients then whisk until well combined.

Salad:
Baby spinach leaves
Mandarin oranges
Dried cranberries
Toasted almonds
Wonton strips, fried

Toast almonds in a dry pan for a few minutes until golden brown. Toss the spinach leaves with dressing to taste. Top the spinach with oranges, cranberries, almonds and wonton strips.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

2011-09-28T19:55:00.000-07:00

I doubled this recipe for community group and it was a huge hit! Most people went back for seconds. Definitely a keeper.

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed or shredded
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 (10-oz) cans green chili enchilada sauce (I used mild)
2/3 cup red enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 can large black olives, cut in half
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
16-20 oz. penne pasta (Depending on how “saucy” you want the pasta)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, until pepper is barely tender. Add the cooked chicken, green chilies, spices, enchilada sauces and olives. Let the sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Add the sour cream and cheese and heat through, until the cheese is melted (but don’t boil!). Pour the sauce over the hot pasta. Garnish with extra sour cream, cheese, diced tomatoes, green onions or crushed tortilla chips.

Free Kindle Download of Cookbook

2011-09-20T21:42:00.000-07:00

Click here for a free kindle download for the Everything Soup, Stew and Chili Cookbook.

And while I'm on the soup, stew and chili topic...here are 3 recipes to add to your fall dinner plans:

Soup:
Caldo de Queso

Stew:
Spinach, Beef and Barley Stew

Chili
BBQ Chili

Sloppy Joes

2011-09-18T14:01:00.000-07:00

Yummy comfort food- just in time for fall!

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
3 teaspoons brown sugar
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids.
Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Tenders

2011-09-18T13:59:00.000-07:00

You will be so surprised at how much flavor this 4 ingredient recipe has! Try it this week!

8 fresh sage leaves
8 chicken tenders (about 1 1/4 pounds)
8 slices bacon
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Place a sage leaf on each chicken tender, then wrap each with a bacon slice. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add tenders, sage side down, and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is browned, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook until tenders are cooked through, 6 minutes. With tongs, transfer to a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet to drain.

Mustard Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

2011-09-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

We gobbled up this recipe so fast, I didn't have time to take a photo! The combination of flavors was fantastic! Using the meat thermometer was the key to keeping it moist and not over cooking it.

1/4 cup Italian seasoned panko crumbs
2 tbsp fresh parsley
1 ½ tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp fresh thyme, leaves only
1 1lb pork tenderloin, trimmed
Sea salt and freshly cracked, pepper, to taste
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1 clove of garlic, minced
Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with tin foil and spray it with cooking spray.

Pour the panko crumbs, parsley, cheese, and thyme onto a plate, mix until well combined. Remove the silver skin from the pork tenderloin. Pat dry then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Mix the mustard, fennel seeds, and garlic together then rub evenly all over the pork tenderloin. Roll the pork tenderloin in the panko mixture until coated really well. Place the pork tenderloin on the baking sheet.

Place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees. Let the meat rest for 7-10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Mustard Greens with Chipotle and Bacon

2011-09-09T13:14:00.000-07:00

Kids and Mark did not like this recipe but I thought it was a tasty side.

2 3/4 pounds curly mustard greens (2 to 3 bunches), stems and coarse ribs discarded
4 bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1/2 teaspoon salt

Coarsely chop greens, then cook in 2 batches in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, stirring occasionally, until wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Drain greens in a colander, pressing gently to release excess moisture.

Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, reserving fat in skillet. Add oil, chipotle, greens, and salt to fat and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with bacon.

Hush Puppies

2011-09-09T13:12:00.000-07:00

A perfect side to chowder!

2 eggs, beaten
2 T white sugar
1/2 c onion, diced
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/3-1/2 c sauteed and chopped roasted green chilies
1-2 T milk (if needed for moistness)
1 quart oil for frying

In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, and onion. Blend in flour and cornmeal. Fold in chilies.
Heat 2 inches of oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Drop batter by rounded teaspoonfuls in hot oil, and fry until golden brown. Cook in small batches to maintain oil temperature. Drain briefly on paper towels. Serve hot.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2011-09-09T13:11:00.000-07:00

Zucchini recipe? Check! Dessert recipe? Check! This one was made for a pregnant lady who has a neighbor who graciously delivers zucchini almost every day.

2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (coat in some flour first)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth.
In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, grated zucchini, vanilla and chocolate; beat well. Stir in the flour baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean.

Crab Cake Mac N Cheese

2011-09-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

My dad is in town visiting and bought a TON of fresh crab meat from pike place market. After making crab/roasted green chili omelets and crab potato chowder, there was still enough crab meat left for this recipe. Yum!

Salt
1 pound cavatappi or elbow pasta (I used penne)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons butter
3 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
About 2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme leaves, several sprigs (I used 1/2T dried)
About 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (I used 1T lemon juice)
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked for shells and flaked
1 tablespoon Old Bay seafood seasoning (I used cajun seasoning)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste (I left this out)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (I left this out)
1/3 pound, about 1 rounded cup grated sharp white Cheddar
1/3 pound, about 1 rounded cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese (I used monterey jack)
3 tablespoons hot sauce (recommended: Frank's Red Hot)
1 cup panko bread crumbs
A generous handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, a couple of handfuls

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat, then salt the water. Add the pasta and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, (it will be undercooked). Cool, drain well and add it to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add the celery, onion, red pepper, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper, to taste. Cook to tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the crabmeat to the vegetables and season liberally with seafood seasoning. Stir to combine, then remove from heat.

In a medium sauce pot, over low heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and bring to a bubble. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, to taste, and cook for a few minutes, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add the mustard and the cheese and stir in a figure 8 motion. Add the vegetables and crab, sauce to the bowl with the pasta and transfer the mixture to individual baking crocks or a large casserole dish. This can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

To complete the dish, melt a couple of tablespoons butter in a small skillet, over low heat and add 3 tablespoons hot sauce. Warm through, then add the panko crumbs and toss to evenly coat the crumbs in sauce mixture. Cool the crumbs, then toss in the parsley and 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano -Reggiano cheese. Top the mac n cheese with the spicy crumb mixture. Arrange individual crocks on a baking sheet or put the casserole on baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake until brown and heated through, about 10 minutes. If cooking from cold, the mac n cheese will take 40 to 45 minutes, but add the crumbs the last 10 minutes of baking.

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream

2011-08-27T22:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is my 5th dessert recipe in a row. Yes, I am pregnant.

3 egg yolks (beaten)
1/2 pint milk
1/2 pint double/heavy cream
1/2 csugar
2 cups of strawberries
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Take the strawberries and mash them in with half the sugar (ie. 2oz or 50g) in a bowl. Place in the refrigerator whilst making the rest of the recipe.

In a separate saucepan, mix the egg yolks with the milk, salt and the remaining sugar. Place over a medium heat just to boiling point (stirring all the time). DO NOT LET IT BOIL.

Transfer the mixture into a chilled bowl to cool. When cool place in the refrigerator for up to 3 hours, remembering to stir the mixture from time to time. When cool, stir into the mixture the cream and vanilla essence and then blend in the strawberry/sugar mixture.

Transfer the complete mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Banana Sour Cream Bread

2011-08-27T19:50:00.000-07:00

After reading Gladys Goes Out to Lunch, James had his heart set on making banana bread. We had extra sour cream in the fridge, so we decided to try out this new recipe. It was SO moist!!

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

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease two large loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together 2T white sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture. (Save some to dust the top of the bread as well)
In a large bowl, cream butter and 1 1/2 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.

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

2011-08-27T19:39:00.000-07:00

For Emilie's birthday I tried to re-create one of her favorite desserts- Trophy's Strawberry cream cheese cupcakes. Although, they will never be quite good as trophy's, I think these were delightful!

1 box (3 packages of 9 crackers each) graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 sticks of butter (12 Tbs), room temperature
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup + 2 Tbs sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (I used sour cream)
4 large egg whites
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled & coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F and line 16-18 muffin tins with cupcake liners. Mix one box of graham cracker crumbs with butter using a food processor. The mixture should hold together when pressed with fingers, add more butter if needed. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of the crushed graham cracker into the bottom of each prepared muffin tin. Press down using fingers and bake for 3-5 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove immediately from oven and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl beat the egg whites until stiff, glossy peaks appear, about 3-4 minutes, be careful not to overbeat. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder & salt. In a large bowl, cream together butter & sugar until light & fluffy and then add the vanilla & beat on a low-speed. Then add half the flour mixture until incorporated then mix in the sour cream or yogurt. Add remaining flour & mix until just blended.

Gently fold 1/3 of the egg into the batter until combined, do not over mix the egg whites or the cake will fall flat. Add remaining egg and fold in the chopped strawberries. Fill each muffin tin about 3/4 of the way and bake for about 20 minutes depending on your oven. You can test the doneness by sticking a toothpick through the center, if it comes out clean it is ready to take out!

Frosting:
1/4 C butter (room temperature)
1 8 oz package cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 C strawberries, mashed up in a food processor
3 to 4 C powdered sugar
Cream butter and cream cheese.
Mix in the strawberries.
Add the powdered sugar to the taste and consistency you prefer.
Add to your favorite cupcakes!

Raspberry Hot Chocolate

2011-08-21T19:03:00.000-07:00

We got some fresh berries from the University Farmers Market and James got the choice of picking blueberry, raspberry or strawberry hot chocolate. He choose Raspberry. A very good choice!

The Hot Chocolate

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup boiling water
3 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the cocoa, sugar and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in boiling water and bring mixture to a boil, stirring continuously. Stir in the milk and heat until hot, but do not boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Serves 4-5.

The recipe we found said to stir in one teaspoon of seedless raspberry jelly, but we did about 1/4 cup of fresh smashed raspberries and just spooned out most of the seeds that floated to the top.

Zucchini Cookies

2011-08-21T18:13:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned I've been getting a TON of zucchini from my neighbor? Therefore, we've been eating a ton of zucchini :) I've made zucchini cookies before but when a friend passed along this recipe with butterscotch chips, I couldn't resist trying a new recipe. They were fantastic. I had 4 within 10min. I'm eating for 2 right??

½ cup butter, softened
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 small zucchini, shredded (about 1 c.)
1 cup oatmeal
¾ cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup butterscotch

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat well. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together and mix into the wet mixture. Add the shredded zucchini, oatmeal, coconut, and butterscotch chips and mix thoroughly. Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes.

Stephanie's Creamy Corn and Spinach Enchiladas

2011-08-19T21:14:00.000-07:00

Thank you Stephanie for sending me your favorite recipes! Check out her weekly meal plans HERE. She has some great ideas! This recipe was really tasty. It would have been a 5 star recipe if I had lightly fried the tortillas first. It made a TON of filling so I ended up using more tortillas and making a 9x13 pan for dinner and an 8x8 pan for the freezer.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, pulled apart by hand
1 (4-ounce) can diced mild green chiles
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (10-ounce) box frozen creamed spinach, thawed
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 cup already shredded Monterey jack cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 super size corn tortillas (each about 6 1/2-inches across)
Sauce:
3/4 cup green taco sauce or salsa verde (not chunky)
1/2 cup light sour cream
Shredded Monterey jack cheese, to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves

Directions
Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 13 by 9-inch pan and a piece of foil large enough to cover the pan with nonstick cooking spray.

To make the filling: Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it is clear, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken, chiles and chili powder, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the corn, spinach, sour cream, cheese, and salt.

Place a stack of 6 tortillas between damp paper towels and microwave on high power until the tortillas are hot and soft enough to roll, about 1 minute. Cover with a cloth towel to keep warm. Remove 1 tortilla at a time, keeping the other tortillas covered, and place a rounded 1/3 cup of the filling down to the center. Roll into a cylinder and place in the prepared pan, seam side down and close enough to touch. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake until the enchiladas are hot, about 30 minutes.

To make the sauce: Meanwhile, stir the taco sauce and sour cream together in a small bowl. Uncover the pan and spread the sauce over the hot enchiladas. Sprinkle cheese and cilantro over the top. Return to the oven, uncovered, and bake until the cheese melts and the sauce is bubbly, about 10 minutes.

Taco Pizza

2011-08-19T21:12:00.000-07:00

Another fantastic pioneer woman recipe. James said, "Every night for dinner we should eat this!" Have you noticed the trend in my recipe choices recently? Not everything sounds good when I'm pregnant, but spicy ALWAYS sounds good!

Pizza Dough (I use Trader Joes)
1 can (14 Ounce) Black Beans
1 teaspoon Taco Seasoning (prepared, Or Make Your Own)
4 whole Corn Tortillas, Sliced Into Thin Strips
½ cups Canola Oil, For Frying
1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar
1 cup Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
1 head Green Leaf Lettuce, Sliced/shredded Thin
2 whole Ripe Tomatoes, Diced
½ cups Cilantro Leaves
¼ cups Sour Cream
3 Tablespoons Hot Sauce (more To Taste)

*Note: I skipped this beginning part and just bought a can of black bean refried beans from Trader Joes and just heated them in the microwave so they would be spreadable.
Pour black beans into a saucepan. Add seasonings to taste and heat up beans over medium-low heat. Use a potato masher to mash the beans to desired texture. Continue cooking/heating beans over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer runny (should be the texture of refried beans. Set aside.

In a small skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat. When hot enough to fry, drop in the tortilla strips in batches, frying quickly and removing from oil with a fork when crisp–about 30 to 45 seconds per batch. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
Place oven rack in the bottom position in the oven. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

With hands, spread pizza dough on an oiled baking sheet, making sure it’s relatively thin. Spread layer of refried beans all over pizza crust. Sprinkle mixed grated cheeses over the top. Place pan in the oven (in the bottom half of the oven) and bake for 9 to 12 minutes. Watch it to make sure crust doesn’t burn.
Remove pizza from oven. Sprinkle on shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and cilantro leaves.
Mix together sour cream and hot sauce, adding enough hot sauce to make the mixture pourable. With a spoon (or you can put it in a pastry bag) drizzle mixture over finished pizza.
Sprinkle with tortilla strips. Cut into squares and serve immediately with good quality salsa.

Bites Facebook Page

2011-08-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

At the suggestion of a few friends, I've started a Bites Facebook Page. Will you scroll down and look on the right side of the page for the "Like" Button and like my page?

Zucchini Cream Cheese Bacon Quiche

2011-08-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty excited about this recipe because I did a little experimenting, and it turned out great! I am a dedicated recipe follower and get nervous when I make alterations. But I couldn't find a recipe for what I was craving, so I combined about three and came up with this. It was fantastic!

1 frozen 9-inch deep dish pie shell (I use Trader Joes frozen crusts)
4 ounces cream cheese

Filling:
6 strips of bacon, diced
1-2 cups of roughly chopped zucchini
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
2 eggs beaten
1/4 tsp of dried basil
1/4 tsp of dried oregano
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp of pepper
generous pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 425
Pre-Bake crust for 10 minutes.
Cool completely.
Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp.
Remove and drain on paper toweling.
Using two tablespoons of the bacon drippings, saute the prepped zucchini, onion, and garlic until tender.
In a large bowl, combine eggs, cheese, seasonings, bacon and zucchini mixture.
Cover the bottom of the pie crust with the cream cheese, cut into small pieces.
Pour the zucchini mixture into baked cooled crust.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover the edges of the pastry with foil if it starts to brown too quickly.

Short Ribs in Tomato Sauce

2011-08-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

Whoa- this recipe made us feel like we were eating like kings! What a treat! After cooking for 3.5 hours, you can slide the bones out with tongs. They are so tender, it is ridiculous. I didn't wait for the 5 hours to cool them, I just spooned the grease off the top once they were done cooking.

8 whole Beef Short Ribs
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1 Tablespoon Sugar
4 cloves Garlic, Crushed
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
1 cup Red Or White Wine
1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes
1 can (14 Ounce) Tomato Sauce
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 teaspoon Ground Thyme
1 pound Fettuccine
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Minced Fresh Parsley (optional)

Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
Heat olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high to high heat. Sprinkle short ribs with salt and pepper. Brown short ribs in oil, about 1 1/2 or 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
Pour off excess oil (be careful!) Throw garlic and onions into pot. Stir to cook for a minute or two, then add tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine, salt, red pepper flakes, and thyme. Stir to combine.
With tongs, set short ribs back into the pot, submerging as much as possible in the sauce. Cover pot and place into the oven. Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Short ribs should be tender and falling off the bone.
*Remove ribs from pot. Allow to cool, then wrap tightly and refrigerate. Allow pot of sauce to cool a bit, then place pot into the fridge for several hours or overnight. Remove hardened fat/grease from the top. Discard fat. Return ribs to pot, then return pot either to stovetop or oven and warm it up.
Boil pasta according to package directions. Turn pasta onto a large platter, then top with tomato sauce and short ribs. Sprinkle plenty of Parmesan over the top, as well as some chopped parsley.

Fig-Prosciutto Pizza

2011-08-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

This recipe was so unique and SO good! Everyone was raving! I wanted my prosciutto to be crispy, so I browned it in a skillet first before putting it on the pizza. I used Trader Joes Pizza Dough.

FOR THE PIZZA:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Tablespoons Fig Spread Or Jam
Kosher Salt To Taste
12 ounces, weight Fresh Mozzarella, Sliced Thin
6 ounces, weight Thinly Sliced Prosciutto (see note above)
1 bunch Washed And Rinsed Arugula
Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Shaved Parmesan

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
Roll out the pizza dough as thinly as possible. Place on a large baking sheet.
Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Spread fig spread (or jam) all over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
Lay sliced of mozzarella all over the surface. Sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly.
Remove from oven and immediately lay prosciutto over hot pizza. Just before serving, sprinkle on arugula and Parmesan shavings.
Cut into wedges or squares and serve immediately!

Explanation of the Poor Bites Posting in June...

2011-07-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

You might be wondering why Bites fell off the map and only had 3 postings in the entire month of June. Partly it was because we had visitors for the entire month and I busted out a bunch of favorites- Slow Cooker Ribs, Sour Cream Pork Chops, Spinach Orzo Salad and Double Decker Tacos. But the other and VERY exciting reason is that I'm pregnant! We found out at the end of May and my loss of appetite happened right around the beginning of June. Not much sounded good and many things sounded disgusting (it will be years before I can try Chicken Masala again). So, we ended up eating a lot of random things- quesadillas, smoothies, Chipotle burritoes (an all time pregnancy favorite), etc So, I hope you haven't lost faith in Bites and I hope you enjoy the new recipes I posted today!

Mexican Style Chicken and Dumplings

2011-07-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Sweet Savory Life

My sister recommended this recipe to me and now Sweet Savory Life is one of my favorite new recipe blog sites. We served this for company and it was a hit around the whole table.

Chicken

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth
1 jar (15 ounces) salsa verde (2 cups)
1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
1 large rotisserie chicken, meat deboned and left in large chunks (about 6 cups)

Dumplings

1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion greens
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

Chicken: Heat butter over medium-high heat in a large (11 – 12 inch), deep ovenproof skillet or 5-6 quart Dutch oven. Whisk in flour to make a paste. Mix broth, salsa verde, and evaporated milk and whisk in all at once. Whisk, vigorously at first, until mixture simmers and thickens to sauce consistency. Stir in chicken, heat through, and cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.

Dumplings: Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan until steamy. Mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, scallions, and cilantro in a medium bowl with a fork. Stir in milk mixture to form a smooth, firm dough. Pinch off Ping-Pong-ball-size peices of dough with your fingers and drop onto chicken mixture. Return chicken to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover and transfer pan to oven and bake until dumplings are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve.

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

2011-07-26T15:16:00.000-07:00

Pioneer Woman must buy heavy cream in bulk. I love ALL of her creamy sauce recipes, including this one. And miracle beyond miracles, I've actually kept a basil plant alive for over 2 weeks. Unbelievable!!!

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 cans (15 Ounce Each) Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Dash Of Sugar (more To Taste)
1 cup Heavy Cream
Grated Parmesan Or Romano Cheese, To Taste
Fresh Basil, Chopped
1-1/2 pound Fettuccine

Preparation Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
Heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or so. Pour in tomato sauce and add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Stir and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and stir in cream. Add cheese to taste, then check seasonings. Stir in pasta and chopped basil and serve immediately. (Thin with pasta water before adding basil if needed.)

Mushroom Egg Salad

2011-07-26T14:58:00.000-07:00

I spotted this recipe on Angela's blog and knew it would be perfect for a summer picnic. We served it on toast but it would be great in pitas! My husband is not the hugest mushroom fan but he liked this.

5 Tbsp. canola oil
1 lb. mushrooms, roughly chopped
½ medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh dill (I used about 2 teaspoons dried)
4 hard-boiled eggs, roughly chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a 10” or 12” skillet over medium-high heat, and add the mushrooms. (If they don’t all fit in the pan at once, let the first panful wilt down a bit, and then add the rest. It’ll work out fine.) Cook, stirring often, until lighly browned, 14-16 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, and set aside. Wipe out the skillet.

Heat the remaining oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onions begin to soften; then reduce the heat to low and continue to cook until lightly caramelized, 10-15 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms. Add the dill and eggs, and stir to mix.

I used less mayo than the recipe calls for, and still didn't use up all my dressing. I don't like my salad very wet, though. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice. Add a couple of spoonfuls to the mushroom mixture, and toss until evenly combined. Taste, and add more dressing as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Depending on how deeply browned the onions are, you might also want an extra squeeze of lemon.

Pile on lightly toasted bread – preferably sourdough rye, if you’ve got some – and serve open-faced.

Simple Sesame Noodles

2011-07-26T14:54:00.001-07:00

Super simple summer recipe.

12 ounces, fluid Thin Noodles, Cooked And Drained
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Sugar
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Pure Sesame Oil
1/2 teaspoon Hot Chili Oil
4 Tablespoons Canola Oil
4 whole Green Onions, Sliced Thin

Preparation Instructions
Whisk all ingredients (except noodles and green onions) together in a bowl. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed.
Pour sauce over warm noodles and toss to coat.
Sprinkle with green onions and toss.
Serve in a bowl with chopsticks.

Phyllo Turnovers with Shrimp and Ricotta

2011-07-26T14:54:00.000-07:00

I had leftover ricotta from making Manicotti (why didn't I post that recipe? Hmmm...) and leftover phyllo from making this recipe and so I used my favorite ingredient search on Allrecipes to find this recipe. I left out the green pepper and still found it very flavorful!

3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/3 cup chopped celery stalk
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
2/3 cup chopped green onions
2 dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound large shrimp - peeled, deveined and chopped
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup milk
1 (16 ounce) package frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1/2 cup butter

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the canola oil. Stir in the celery and peppers; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the green onions, hot sauce, and salt; cook and stir until onions are wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir the flour, shrimp, ricotta cheese, and milk into the pepper mixture; cook and stir until the shrimp turn pink, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Melt 1/2 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and keep warm. Stack two sheets of phyllo on top of each other, and cut into 3 strips about 3 inches by 12 inches. Brush the top of each strip with melted butter, and place a teaspoon of the shrimp mixture at one end. Fold phyllo dough over the filling, working back and forth from side to side to make a triangle. Seal the end closed with a little water or butter. Place triangle on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets and filling.
Bake in preheated oven until tops are golden brown and flaky, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Angela's Dad's Enchiladas

2011-07-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

I love hearing about what people ate growing. It's one of the many questions I like to ask people (I've been known to be a question-asker). Angela has shared a few of her family recipes with me and this one is not the fanciest, but it sure is tasty. And when she left me with two cans of Hormel chili when she moved to London, I knew I'd be making this soon!

Two cans of Hormel no-beans chili. (make sure it doesn't have beans in it or any extra spice thing)
Lots of grated cheddar cheese (3-4 cups)
One medium onion, chopped
Corn tortillas (approx. 15)

Preheat oven to 350.

First, lightly fry the tortillas in veggie oil so they are easier to roll. On med-high heat, the tortillas should only be in the oil for about 4 seconds. I like to layer mine between paper towels as I do it so at least some of the grease gets soaked up.

Working with one tortilla at a time, put a small amount of the chopped onion and grated cheese towards the edge of the tortilla closest to you. Probably about 1/4 cup stuff total. Roll tightly away from yourself, being careful not to tear the tortilla. Place in pan seam-side down in a 9x13 baking pan and do the same with the rest.

Meanwhile, dump the cans of chili in a pan. Rinse the cans out with about 1/4 cup water and dump that in the pan too. Warm on the stove.

Pour chili over enchiliadas, using a knife or something to move them so you make sure to get some chili in between each of the enchiliadas.

Top with grated cheese and chopped onions.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. After 25 minutes, if the cheese on top isn't done to your liking, just broil for a bit.

The Clubhouse Chicken Pizza

2011-07-20T07:55:00.000-07:00

When we visited Bend, OR this summer, we ate at Pizza Mondo. We had a version of this pizza and it was so good I tried my best to recreate it at home. I started with trader joes crust (baked it a little bit first) then spread a thin layer of ranch dressing and then crispy bacon, grilled italian chicken, baked tomatoes, pepperoncinis and mozzarella cheese on top. Bake until melted. Delish!

Sweet Potato Biscuits

2011-07-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

When we stayed with Nikki in May, her dad made sweet potato biscuits one night. I had to restrain myself. I wanted to eat about 20. The recipe below is a compilation between his recipe and Paula Deen's. Nikki's dad used yams which gave them a fun orange color.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened butter
2 to 4 tablespoons milk (depending on the moisture of the potatoes) (I used 2 T)
dash of vanilla

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sift together flour, sugars, spices, baking powder and salt. In a separate, large bowl, mix the sweet potatoes, vanilla and butter. Add the flour mixture to the potato mixture and mix to make a soft dough. Then add milk a tablespoon at a time to mixture and continue to cut in. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and toss lightly until the outside of the dough looks smooth. Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter. Place the biscuits on a greased pan and coat tops with melted butter. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

PW Cinnamon Rolls

2011-07-15T13:24:00.000-07:00

Emilie challenged me to try out Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls and compare them to the Clone of a Cinnabon recipe. PW's recipe is for making a HUGE batch- enough for 7 pans. So, I made a scaled back version for just 1 9x13 pan. The rolls were very, very good but I have to say I personally like the clone of a cinnabon better. I just love the thick cream cheese frosting.

1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1/2 package)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (plus 1/4 cup for kneading)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder (heaping)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda (scant)
1/4 tablespoon salt (heaping)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
2 teaspoons melted butter, for pans

Maple Frosting

1/2 pound powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring
1/8 cup whole milk
1/8 cup melted butter
1 tablespoon brewed coffee
1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. Scald the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in the 1/2 package of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 2 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.
After rising for at least an hour, add 1/4 cup more of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it - overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).
When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1/2 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.
Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.
Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a 9x13 baking dish. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.
Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 400 degrees (see note below) until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
For the frosting, mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don't skimp on the frosting.

Nutella Chocolate Cobbler

2011-06-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Savory Sweet Life

Now this is my kind of dessert! Amazingly good!

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cocoa powder, divided
1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Nutella
6 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1-½ cup hot tap water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, and 1/2 cup of white sugar. Stir in milk, Nutella, butter, and vanilla. Mixture will be thick like the texture of peanut butter. Spread mixture into an ungreased 8-inch baking dish. In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, and remaining cocoa. Sprinkle mixture evenly over the batter. Pour the hot water over everything and do not stir. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center is slightly firm but not fluid like liquid. Spoon mixture into small bowls and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Oreo Cheesecake

2011-06-30T13:56:00.000-07:00

I'm not a cheesecake fan. Which is why you've never seen a recipe for one on this blog. However, my brother was in town and requested one for his birthday dinner. I did have a small slice and it was ok but I'd still rather save my calories for a big fudgy piece of chocolate cake. But, the people at the party who like cheesecake said this was really tasty. So, I'm not really sure how many stars to give it. 4 maybe?

1 1/2 pound cream cheese
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup flour
8 ounces sour cream
5 Oreo cookies (coarsely chopped for the batter)
10 coarsely chopped Oreo cookies for the topping

Crust
1 1/2 cup Oreo cookie crumbs (about 25 Oreo cookies finely chopped)
2 tablespoon melted butter
9″ spring form pan (buttered on bottom and sides)

1. Mix melted butter with Oreo crumbs and press in the bottom of the spring pan and 1 1/2″ up the sides, set aside.
2.All Ingredients must be at room temperature before beginning. Beat cream cheese with a mixer on low until fluffy.
3. Slowly add sugar and continue beating cream cheese until mixed well.
4. Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat until blended.
5. Measure the vanilla, salt and flour, pour into cream cheese and egg mixture and beat until smooth. Add the sour cream and beat.
6. Stir in the coarsely chopped oreo cookies with a spoon.
7. Pour cream cheese into the spring pan and place the nine coarsely chopped Oreo Cookies on to of the cream mixture.
8. Place pan on the top rack and in the middle of a preheated oven at 325 degrees F and bake for one hour and 15 minutes.
9.After that time, keep oven door open and let the cheese cake stay in the oven for one hour. Remove from oven and let cool enough to place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Jaime's Chicken Lasagna

2011-06-19T20:04:00.000-07:00

I LOVED the fresh basil in this lasagna. And seriously, you can't go wrong with 4 different cheeses (including goat cheese!) Jaime's original recipe called for turkey sausage but I could only find chicken sausage at Trader Joes. It would be great with any kind of sausage!

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 pounds sweet italian chicken sausage, casings removed
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
kosher salt
freshley ground black pepper
1/2 pound lasagna noodles
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup grated parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

Dad's Jerk Chicken

2011-05-23T20:48:00.000-07:00

My dad was mortified when I told him we cooked the chicken in a skillet because it was 50 degrees outside. I assured him it was still out of this world. Make this and the salsa that goes with it THIS week! Definitely a crowd pleaser.

1 Tbsp. ground allspice

1 Tbsp. dried thyme

1 ½ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 ½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 ½ tsp. ground sage (I found in the bulk spice section at my store)

¾ tsp. ground nutmeg

¾ tsp. ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

2 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. sugar

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup soy sauce

¾ cup white vinegar

½ cup orange juice

juice of 1 lime

3 habanero peppers, finely chopped (I just used one jalapeno so it wouldn't be too spicy for the kids)

1 cup chopped white onion

3 green onions, finely chopped

1 whole chicken, cut up into serving pieces

In a large bowl, combine the allspice, thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper, sage,

nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, garlic powder and sugar. With a wire whisk, add the olive

oil, soy sauce, vinegar, orange juice, and lime juice. Add the habanero peppers, onion,

green onions and mix well. Add the chicken, cover and marinate overnight. Remove

the chicken from the marinade and grill until fully cooked. While grilling, baste with the

marinade.

Mango Salsa

2011-05-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

This salsa recipe was so refreshing. We served it over chicken but it would also be amazing on grilled tuna or shrimp.

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and diced (about 1 1/2 cup) (See: How to Cut a Mango)

1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped

1 Jalapeño chile, minced (include ribs and seeds for a hotter taste if desired)

1 small cucumber, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)

3 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

(Also good with diced red bell pepper and jicama)

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the salsa ends up being a little too hot or acidic for your taste, you can temper it by adding some diced avocado.

Pork Parmigiana Sliders

2011-05-23T20:43:00.000-07:00

Yummmmmm. This recipe was a keeper!

1 pork tenderloin, sliced thin and pounded

Salt and pepper

Wondra flour, for coating (found near other flours in my local grocery store- looks like a breadcrumb can)

2 eggs

Plain breadcrumbs

A handful Italian parsley

About 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided

2 garlic cloves, minced

Olive oil or canola oil, for frying

1 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced

1 cup Italian tomato sauce

Slider rolls

Preparation

Dip cutlets in Wondra mixed with salt and pepper. Beat eggs in a shallow dish with a splash of water. Dip cutlets in egg wash. Dredge cutlets in breadcrumbs mixed with parsley, half the cheese, salt, pepper and garlic.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cutlets and quickly fry cutlets until golden brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Add some tomato sauce to the frying pan. Add cooked cutlets back to the pan and top with a little grated parm, additional sauce and a slice of mozzarella. Cover pan to melt cheese.

Serve on Slider rolls.

Amy's Stromboli

2011-05-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

Thank you Amy for this fun recipe! You'll want to click on her link to see her finished stromboli photos. Our dough was really sticky so when we tried to fold the dough into a U shape, it kind of just turned into a messy blob. But, it was a delicious blob!

1/2 lb. wine infused salami, sliced

1/4 lb. pepperoni, sliced

1/2 lb. procutto, sliced (we didn't use this)

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced

2 cups mozzarella cheese

garlic powder

italian seasoning

With your own homemade pizza dough or your favorite pre-made dough, roll out dough into a long rectangle. Then add your favorite toppings. Then take the edge of two sides of the dough and fold over to meet the other sides. Press the sides of the dough together, mesh with your fingers and then a fork to make sure the two pieces of dough become one and seal the insides. Reshape the long oblong shaped item to fit your pizza stone or baking sheet (some sort of stoneware will work best) Brush the top with olive oil and add seasonings such as rosemary, basil, oregano or a simple italian seasoning blend. Bake according to your stoneware, for me this was 425 for 20 minutes until golden brown

Rebecca's Bran Muffins

2011-05-23T20:37:00.000-07:00

Before you skip over this post, I want to tell you that these are not your normal bran muffins. They are moist, sweet and delicious. The recipe calls for two different kinds of all bran cereal but I just used bran from the bulk section of my local store. It worked great!

1/2 cups Nabisco all Bran

1/2 cups boiling water

1/4 cup shortening

3/4 cups sugar

1 egg

1 c kellogs all bran

1 c buttermilk

1 1/4 cups flour

1 1/4 tsp soda

1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

Pour boiling water over nabisco all bran. Allow to cool. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light. Add egg and beat. Then Put in all bran and add flour, salt and soda alternativly with buttermilk and mix well. Then add the rest of all bran and mix well. Store in refrigator in covered containter (do not freeze). Bake in greased muffin tins 2/3 full at 400' for 15 minutes. The batter will keep up to 6 weeks to 2 months. Just stir it up and bake what you desire, then cover and store in refrigator until next time.

Bacon-y Bok Choy

2011-05-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Allrecipes.com

We got some baby bok choy in our bountiful basket this week. Bok choy is not a recipe I feel comfortable cooking. When I ask people how to cook it, they almost all tell me, "Just throw it in a stir-fry!" Hmmm...well I don't know where to start. Throw it in whole? Chopped? So I did a little research to figure out how to prepare it first: 1) Trim off the end of the stem 2) Separate the bok choy leaves 2) Rinse WELL under cool water. Then I found this recipe that included bacon and I figured you couldn't go wrong. The flavor was very similar to these brussel sprouts. Very good!

4 slices bacon, chopped
2 pounds baby bok choy, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon minced garlic
salt to taste

Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon and drain the fat, reserving one tablespoon of the grease in the skillet. Add the olive oil, onion, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat until the onions are starting to be tender.
Add the bok choy, and place a lid on the pan. Let cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the lid; cook and stir until the bok choy is tender but still crunchy, about 2 minutes. Stir in the bacon, and season with salt. Serve piping hot!

Zucchini 'Crab' Cakes

2011-05-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

I will definitely be making this recipe again this summer! Delicious!

2 1/2 cups grated zucchini

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup minced onion

1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (I used cajun seasoning)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying

In a large bowl, combine zucchini, egg, and butter or margarine. Stir in seasoned crumbs, minced onion, and seasoning. Mix well.

Shape mixture into patties. Dredge in flour.

In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium high heat until hot. Fry patties in oil until golden brown on both sides.

Jackie's Peanut Butter Waffles

2011-05-18T13:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the recipe recommendation Jackie! We loved this peanut-buttery twist on a normal waffle. PS- I recently splurged and bought REAL maple syrup brand from Costco (Kirkland Brand) and oh my goodness- it makes such a difference. No more Aunt Jemima for me!

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

2 cups buttermilk

2 large eggs

bananas, maple syrup for serving (optional)

Preheat waffle iron. If you want to make all of the waffles before serving, preheat oven to 275 F, set a wire rack inside of a rimmed baking sheet and pop in the oven.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In your blender, combine the melted butter and peanut butter, and blend until smooth. Add the buttermilk and eggs and blend to combine. Pour the wet ingredients from the blender over the dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated.

Fill the wells of the waffle iron and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. You want the waffles golden brown when they're finished. Serve with bananas and maple syrup, if desired. (Transfer the waffles to the wire rack in the oven to keep warm if not serving immediately.)

Yield will depend on size/shape of your waffle iron

Wacky Cake

2011-05-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

Otherwise known as Better Than ___ Cake, you can't go wrong with this cake. It's the perfect cool summer treat! Plus, I've been looking for an excuse to buy Trader Joes caramel sauce. And yes, it's as delicious as it looks!

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix

1/2 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

6 ounces caramel ice cream topping

3 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered toffee, chopped (Heath Bar)

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Bake cake according to package directions for a 9x13 inch pan; cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Make slits across the top of the cake, making sure not to go through to the bottom.

In a saucepan over low heat, combine sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping, stirring until smooth and blended. Slowly pour the warm topping mixture over the top of the warm cake, letting it sink into the slits. Let cake cool completely, then top with whipped topping. Decorate the top of the cake with the chocolate toffee bar chunks and swirls of caramel topping. Refrigerate and serve right from the pan!

Thai Salmon with Coconut Milk

2011-05-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

Wow, this recipe was good! I loved the different flavors and textures of the veggies in the sauce. Definitely a keeper!

1 1/2-pound salmon fillet

salt and pepper

1 T lemongrass. finely minced (from the white part of the stalk)

1 T scallions, chopped

2/3 of a 14 oz can of light coconut milk

lime

1 t Thai red curry paste (or more for more heat)

3/4 c green beans, chopped

3/4 c yellow pepper, chopped

1/2 c shitake mushrooms, chopped

1/4 c cilantro

1/4 c fresh basil (I used 1 t. dried basil)

Salt and pepper a salmon fillet. Heat skillet to medium-high heat and add a little canola oil. Place salmon in skillet flesh side down and cook for about 3 or 4 minutes until nicely browned. Remove from skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add lemongrass and chopped scallions and stir around for one minute. Then add coconut milk, a generous squeeze of lime, and Thai red curry paste (to taste). Whisk together and let simmer for five minutes. Add salmon back in, skin-side down, nestle into the sauce. Simmer (uncovered) for 10 minutes, then add a handful of each of the following: chopped green beans, chopped yellow peppers, chopped shiitake mushrooms. Simmer another 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in chopped cilantro, chopped basil. Cook another 5 minutes. Serve with jasmine rice, more cilantro, scallions, and a squeeze of lime.

Cornflake-Crusted Halibut with Chile-Cilantro Aioli

2011-05-14T10:08:00.000-07:00

Jaime gave me this recipe and said she hadn't made it but thought it looked like my type of recipe. She sure was right! We loved this. Now, if only I could find halibut for less than $20/lb I'd be making this every month!

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 serrano chile, seeded and minced

1 garlic clove, minced

Fish:

1 cup milk

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

2 cups cornflakes, finely crushed

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets

Lemon wedges

Preparation

To prepare aioli, combine first 4 ingredients, stirring well.

To prepare fish, combine milk and egg white in a shallow dish, stirring well with a whisk. Combine cornflakes, flour, salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dip fish in milk mixture; dredge in cornflake mixture. Add fish to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. (After browning in skillet, I had to bake at 350 for 5min to finish cooking through) Serve with mayonnaise mixture and lemon wedges.

Angela's Mexican Lasagna

2011-05-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

Yum! If all vegetarian dishes tasted like this, I might be able to give up meat! It was flavorful and filling.

2 tsp olive oil

11⁄2 cups chopped onion

1 lb zucchini, diced (about 3 cups)

21⁄2 tsp ground cumin

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with chiles (Rotel), drained

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (11 oz) corn, drained

1 can (10 oz) mild enchilada sauce (or make your own!)

1⁄2 cup chopped cilantro

5 (8-in.) whole-wheat flour tortillas

11⁄4 cups shredded reduced-fat cheddar

Garnish: reduced-fat sour cream

Heat oven to 400ºF. Coat a 3-qt round baking dish with nonstick spray.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté 5 minutes. Add zucchini and cumin, and sauté 5 minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes, beans, corn and enchilada sauce; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

Put 1 tortilla in baking dish. Top with 11⁄2 cups zucchini mixture; sprinkle with 1⁄4 cup cheese. Repeat layers 4 times.

Cover with foil and bake 20 to 25 minutes until bubbly around edges and cheese is melted. Cool 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with sour cream, if desired.

My Favorite Sandwich

2011-05-09T13:20:00.002-07:00

Mark made my favorite sandwich for my mother's day lunch- cream cheese, ham, avocado and sprouts on a flaky croissant. Yummmmmmmmmmmmm

Adelle's Chicken with Herbed Goat Cheese

2011-05-09T13:20:00.000-07:00

Kitchen confessions: I hate chicken skin and bones. Ewww. I love rotisserie chickens but every time we get one, Mark has pull the meat off it because I can't stand to touch the bones. If at all possible, I will substitute a boneless breast for any recipe that calls for bone-in chicken. Although mocked by certain friends, I just can't do it :) This recipe is a perfect example. Instead of pulling up slimy, bumpy chicken skin with my fingers, (I can't even type that without gagging) I just butterflied a chicken breast and stuffed the basil and goat cheese in the middle. It was fantastic!

3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on

12 ounces Montrachet goat cheese, with garlic and herbs

Fresh basil leaves

Good olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers, leaving one side attached. Cut 12 thick slices of the Montrachet and place 2 slices plus a large basil leaf under the skin of each chicken breast. Rub each piece with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Bake the breasts for 35 to 40 minutes, until just cooked through. Serve hot or at room temperature

Greek Spinach and Feta Pie (Spanakopita)

2011-05-09T12:57:00.000-07:00

I pulled this recipe out of my sister's Cook's Illustrated magazine. Surprisingly, I didn't have to use every dish in my kitchen and spend 3 hours making this (as I have in the past with CI recipes). It was very, very tasty!

filling:

28 oz. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and well-squeezed of water (if using fresh, simply steam, drain, and chop)

12 oz. feta, rinsed, patted dry, and crumbled

3/4 c. Greek yogurt

4 medium scallions, sliced thin (about 1/2 c)

1/4 c. minced fresh mint leaves

2 tbsp. minced fresh dill (I used 1 t. dried)

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon juice

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (or more, for kicks)

phyllo layers:

10 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted (CI calls for just 7, but that just wasn't realistic)

1/2 lb. phyllo (14" x 9") thawed - and I mean COMPLETELY thawed.

1 1/2 oz. grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:

1. Mix the drained spinach and all other filling ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.

2. Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat oven to 425℉.

3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush a 14" x 9" rectangle on the parchment with butter and lay the first sheet of phyllo atop this rectangle. Brush the phyllo with butter, and layer on another sheet of phyllo. Repeat the buttering and layering with 10 total layers of phyllo.

4. Spread the spinach mixture over the phyllo, leaving a 1/4" border on all sides. Cover spinach mixture with 6 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each with butter and sprinkling each with Pecorino cheese. Lay 2 more sheets of phyllo on top, brushing with butter but no Pecorino.

5. Working from the center outward, use palms of your hands to compress the layers and press out any air pockets. Use a sharp knife to score the top three layers of phyllo into 24 equal pieces. Bake until phyllo os golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet 10 minutes to 2 hours. Slide the spanakopita, still on parchment, onto a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve.