White House Kitchen

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving!

2011-11-09T09:35:00.000-08:00

It's my favorite time of the year! I love to make all things Thanksgiving and Christmas. There's so many choices and ideas. Here are some of my favorite recipes for a great Thanksgiving meal.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Thyme

Ingredients:
2 lb. brussels sprouts
5 oz. bacon, diced
4 shallots, ﬁnely chopped
2 tsp. ﬁnely chopped fresh thyme
1 1/4 to 1 1/3 cups chicken or turkey stock
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 Tbs. olive oil
3 tsp. salt
Directions:
Cut or pull off any dry outer leaves from the brussels sprouts. Trim away any brown spots and slice off the dry stem end. Cut the brussels sprouts into quarters. Set aside.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the bacon until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a bowl. Pour off the fat in the pan and discard.

Return the pan to medium heat, add the shallots and thyme and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer the shallot mixture to the bowl with the bacon. Pour 1/4 cup of the stock into the pan and, using a wooden spoon, stir to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. Pour the stock over the bacon mixture.

Using paper towels, wipe out the pan and place over medium-high heat. Melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the brussels sprouts and salt and stir to coat evenly. Cook until the brussels sprouts begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir again, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Stir in 1/4 cup of the stock. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally and adding more stock as needed, until the brussels sprouts are soft, about 15 minutes more. Add the bacon mixture and any remaining stock and stir to incorporate. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately.

Sausage, Chestnut and Fennel Dressing

Ingredients:
1 box (16 oz.) focaccia stuffing
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 yellow onions, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and diced
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups prepared French chestnuts, roughly
chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 1/4 lb. mild Italian sausage, casings removed
6 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 to 3 1/4 cups chicken stock, warmed, plus
more as needed
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 375°F. Butter a 3 1/2- to 4-quart casserole dish.

Put the focaccia stuffing in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, celery and fennel and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring to scrape up the browned bits, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the chestnuts and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onion mixture to the bowl with the focaccia stuffing.

Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring and crumbling with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the bowl with the focaccia stuffing. Add the parsley to the bowl and stir to combine. Stir in 3 cups of the stock. The dressing should be moist but not soggy. Add more stock if needed and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the dressing to the prepared casserole dish, cover with a piece of buttered aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden and crispy, 15 to 20 minutes more. Serves 10 to 12.

Green Bean Casserole

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Dash ground black pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French Fried Onions

Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the bean mixture.

Sprinkle with the remaining onions. Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

Mashed Potatoes

I don't use a specific recipe, I dump it all in and test as I go.

6-8 yukon potatoes, peeled and cubed
lots of butter, maybe a stick or two (fattening, I know)
a pint or so of sour cream (fattening again)
1/2 cup of milk
salt and pepper

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil; cook for 20-25 minutes or until very tender. Drain well. Add milk, butter, sour cream, salt and pepper; mash until light and fluffy. Test and taste as you go, especially before adding all the sour cream and butter.

Sweet Potatoes

3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 8), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup whole milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups mini marshmallows or chopped regular marshmallows
Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover with cold water by 1 inch; salt generously. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, and return to pan. Heat over medium, stirring, until liquid has evaporated and a thin film covers bottom of pan, about 2 minutes.
Remove pan from heat; add milk, butter, and nutmeg. Mash until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Transfer sweet-potato mixture to a 2-quart baking dish. (To make ahead, refrigerate, up to 1 day.)
Top casserole with marshmallows; bake until center is warmed through and marshmallows are lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

Herb-Butter Roast Turkey

Ingredients:
1 jar (1 lb. 2.2 oz.) turkey brine (I get it at Williams Sonoma)
1 fresh turkey, 16 to 18 lb., neck and giblets removed
8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 Tbs. roasted garlic
1 Tbs. finely chopped shallot
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbs. chopped green onion, white and light green portions
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Prepare the brine according to the package instructions for a whole turkey. Let cool to room temperature.

Place the turkey in a brining bag and pour in the brine. Using the sealing clip, seal the bag securely; for added stability, place the bag in a pot or on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours.

Remove the turkey from the brine; discard the brine. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Truss the turkey as desired using kitchen twine. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

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

In a small bowl, stir together the butter, roasted garlic, shallot, mustard, honey, parsley, thyme, green onion, sage and pepper until well combined. Set aside.

Roast the turkey for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Continue roasting, brushing the turkey with the herb butter every 20 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, away from the bone, registers 165°F and into the thigh registers 175°F, 1 1/2 to 2 hours more.

Transfer the turkey to a carving board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Serves 12 to 14.

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
1 piece pre-made pie dough
Whipped cream, for topping
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

Pecan Pie

I always have someone bring this, I never seem to get it turned out just right :-)

Beef Stroganoff

2011-09-26T08:37:00.000-07:00

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup stroganoff and 1/2 cup noodles)

Ingredients

1 (1-pound) top round steak (1 inch thick), trimmed
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms (about 2 cups)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
1 (8-ounce) container low-fat sour cream
2 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles (about 4 ounces uncooked)
Preparation

1. Cut steak diagonally across grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place steak and next 8 ingredients (though garlic) in a 3-quart electric slow cooker; stir well.

2. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a small bowl; gradually add broth, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add broth mixture to slow cooker; stir well. Cover with lid; cook on high-heat setting 1 hour. Reduce to low-heat setting, and cook 7 to 8 hours or until steak is tender. Turn slow cooker off; remove lid. Let stroganoff stand 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Serve stroganoff over noodles.

Baked French Toast

2011-09-26T08:34:00.000-07:00

Delicious AND Easy!!!

Ingredients
FRENCH TOAST
1 loaf Crusty Sourdough Or French Bread
8 whole Eggs
2 cups Whole Milk
½ cups Whipping (heavy) Cream
¾ cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
Topping
½ cups All-purpose Flour
½ cups Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
¼ teaspoons Salt
1 stick Cold Butter, Cut Into Pieces
Fresh Fruit (optional)
Preparation Instructions
Grease 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.
Mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge several hours or overnight.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add nutmeg if desired. Add butter pieces and but into the dry mixture until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a Ziploc in the fridge.
When you’re ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. (If you’re using fruit, sprinkle on before the crumb mixture.) Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.
Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup.

Tomato Basil Soup

2011-09-20T09:58:00.000-07:00

First of all, it rocked! It was a hit and we paired it with hot ham and cheese sandwiches. Thank you Cooking Light for posting this one!

Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients

2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 pounds plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

Preparation

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Place half of tomato mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining tomato mixture. Stir in salt and pepper. Ladle 3/4 cup soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with 1 tablespoon yogurt and 1 1/2 teaspoons basil.

Breakfast Casserole

2011-06-14T15:23:00.000-07:00

1 pound favorite pork sausage, fried and crumbled
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 eggs, beaten
2-1/2 cups milk
2 cups grated cheese
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 box garlic croutons

Pour the box of garlic croutons in a greased 9 x 13 dish
Layer sausage over croutons
Layer cheese over sausage
In large bowl, whisk eggs, mushroom soup, mustard, milk
Pour over croutons, sausage, cheese
Refrigerate overnight
Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes

Potato Skins from Pioneer Woman

2011-06-10T15:59:00.000-07:00

top with sour cream and then add the green onions.....

8 pieces of thick-cut bacon
8 (cleaned) potatoes
canola oil
kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
4 sliced green onions

Bake the potatoes for 45 min in the oven at 400 degrees or until they are fork tender
Fry your bacon up
When your potatoes come out of the oven, slice them in half, then with a spoon core
out the potatoes leaving a little flesh on the skin
Next brush both side of the the potatoes with canola oil and salt both sides liberally
Cook on both sides for 7 more minutes each or until the skins are crispy
Grate your cheese and chop the bacon into bits
Sprinkle the potatoes cheese and bacon, then return it to the oven just until the cheese melts
Right before you serve spoon in some sour cream, and sprinkle with green onions

Strawberry Sugar Cookie Tarts

2011-06-04T15:29:00.000-07:00

2 packages(16 Oz. Size) Pillsbury Ready To Bake Sugar Cookies
8 ounces, Whipped Cream Cheese
8 ounces, Cool Whip
1/4 cup sugar
1 pint Fresh Strawberries

Spray mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Place one Ready to Bake Sugar Cookie in each tin.
Bake for 12–15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and use a Pampered Chef Mini Tart Shaper to press them into tart shapes. Let them cool a few minutes before you remove them from the pan to a wire rack. While the cookie tarts are cooling, make the filling.
Combine whipped cream cheese, Cool Whip and sugar. Mix with an electric mixer until fluffy.
Put filling in a pastry bag with a tip and pipe into each cookie tart. Top with a strawberry or other fresh fruit.
Makes 48 cookie tarts.

From Joy's Hope

Chicken Pocket Pies from Mad Hungry

2011-06-04T15:22:00.000-07:00

Filling:
1 heaping cup of shredded chicken
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped carrot
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 recipe (2 disks) Cream Cheese Pastry (recipe below)
1 large egg, for egg wash
To make the filling, in a medium hot skillet, melt the butter and add the onion, celery and carrot. Sauté over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the salt and flour and cook for 1 minute more. Add the chicken broth and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 heaping cup shredded chicken and the Parmesan cheese. Cool in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter or line a baking sheet.

To form the pocket pies, work with half of a disk of dough at a time, rolling it out on a floured surface to about 12 inches in diameter. Using an overturned bowl (about 5 inches across), cut out about 3 circles from each piece of dough. After cutting out all your circles, gather all dough scraps, reroll, and cut out a final time. Place 1/4 cup filling on one side of a dough circle. Wet the edges of the dough with water. Fold the dough over to form a half-circle. Pinch the edges of the dough together. Crimp the edges with a fork. Repeat the process until all the filling is used. The pocket pies can be frozen at this point.

Place the pocket pies on the prepared baking sheet and chill for a few minutes. Prick each pie on top twice with a fork. When ready to bake, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the egg wash over each pocket pie. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. The pies can be cooled and frozen to reheat in the microwave.

Cream Cheese Pastry
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

In a food processor or using an electric mixer or by hand, process the butter, cream cheese and heavy whipping cream.

Add the flour and salt; process just until combined and the dough holds together in a ball. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and divide in 2 pieces. Flatten into disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. If the dough is chilled overnight, take it out 15 minutes before rolling out.

Rub flour all over a rolling pin. Working with one disk at a time, place the disk on a clean, well-floured surface. Roll gently from the center of the dough to the top and bottom edges. Rotate the disk, and roll to the top and bottom edges again. Reflour the work surface and rolling pin, turn the dough over and continue to roll the dough from the center out to the edges. Turn over and roll again, rotating the disk to ensure even rolling until the dough is about 12 inches in diameter, thin but not transparent.

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

2011-06-04T15:12:00.000-07:00

One box chocolate cake mix (and the ingredients that go with it)
Sea salt
4-5 Skor bars or Heath bars
Caramel ice cream topping
Vanilla Buttercream (Recipe below)
Squeeze bottle

Bake your cupcakes according to package directions.

When the cupcakes are almost, make the salty caramel
Pour caramel into a measuring cup.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt per 8oz. of caramel.
Warm in the microwave for one minute.
Stir.
Pour the warm caramel into the squeeze bottle.

When the cupcakes come out of the oven, inject caramel into each one while warm

Cool the cupcakes completely. While they are cooling, smash the candy bars into tiny pieces.

Make the buttercream while the cupcakes are cooling

Vanilla Buttercream
1 stick of butter at room temperature
1lb. of powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbls. milk
pinch salt

Cream together butter and sugar. Add milk, vanilla and salt, mix together until creamy and thick.

Frost the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with the crushed candy bars and drizzle with more caramel sauce.

Breakfast Cupcakes

2011-04-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

How easy it is to make breakfast cupcakes. I always have every intention of making a bunch of these and freezing them for breakfast all week. Well, with 4 hungry men in the house, they never make it past the counter.

I use a muffin tin, mix up about 8 eggs, throw in some things like bacon (cooked) or sauteed mushrooms. They're kinda like mini quiches without the crust. Cook at 350 for about 10 minutes. They will puff up and you can tell they're done!

The Bread Machine!

2011-01-07T16:18:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to have a bread machine!!! Tonight we're experimenting with multigrain bread!

Multigrain Bread
1-1/4 cups water
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1-1/3 cups bread flour
1-1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup seven grain or multigrain cereal
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1-1/4 tsp. salt
2-1/2 tsp. bread machine yeast

Place all ingredients in the bread machine pan in order recommended by the machine manufacturer. Select Whole Wheat or Basic/White Cycle. Use Medium or Light Crust Color. Remove bread from machine when done and let cool on wire rack.

Spider Web Cupcakes from Halloween!

2010-11-06T20:16:00.000-07:00

Back Again!

2010-10-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

I'm very embarrassed to come back and write on this blog. But, I am determined to start posting again. So, here we go!

2010-06-21T13:41:00.001-07:00

Mad Hungry........

2010-01-24T12:28:00.000-08:00

For my birthday Mike bought me a new cookbook. So, I'm trying to cook my way through it and try new recipes. It's called Mad Hungry - Feeding Men and Boys. It has really yielded some yummy food. I'll share some recipes soon.

Mega Turkey Nachos

2010-01-23T16:48:00.000-08:00

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 pound ground turkey breast
1 tablespoon chili powder (a palmful)
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin (half a palmful)
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small zucchini, trimmed of ends, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced into half moons
1 can sliced green chilies (4 ounces), drained
1 box frozen corn kernels (10 ounces)
1 can black beans (15 ounces), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup cilantro or parsley leaves, chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 bag multi-grain tortilla chips
1 1/2 cups shredded pepper Jack or sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, cut in half, pit removed, flesh removed and chopped
PreparationPre-heat the oven 375ºF.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan EVOO, about two tablespoons. Brown and crumble the ground turkey for 3-4 minutes and season with chili powder and cumin. Add onion, garlic, carrot and zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stir in chilies, corn and beans, then heat through and adjust seasoning.

Stir in chicken stock and cook for 1-2 minutes more, remove from heat, then stir in cilantro, 1 teaspoon lime zest and the juice of the lime.

Arrange a third of the bag of chips on a baking sheet with edges, top with a third of the turkey-vegetable mixture and a third of the cheese. Repeat two more times, ending with the cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, 5-6 minutes.

Top with tomatoes and chopped avocado garnish and serve. That’s right. You are about to sit down and have nachos for dinner!

Coconut Banana Bread

2009-07-20T17:37:00.001-07:00

Banana Bread
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup margarine or butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed banana
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (omit if you don't like nuts)
• 1/2 cup sour cream

This is not in the recipe, but today I added 1 cup of toasted coconut. I mixed it in after the sour cream additon. It gave it a tropical taste and it was very filling!

Directions
Grease 1 large loaf pan.
Cream margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients, then bananas, nuts and sour cream.
Mix well.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

French Toast

2009-07-04T12:03:00.001-07:00

French Toast
Makes 10 pieces
bread (I use raisin cinnamon bread)
8 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup milk

Whisk all ingredients together and dip bread in egg mix before putting in grill pan. flip and toast both sides until browned. Top with butter, powdered sugar, and syrup.

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Seven Minute Frosting from Martha

2009-07-04T11:43:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

1 (18.25 oz) package devils food cake mix
1 (5.9 oz) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 warm water
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In large bowl, mix together cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, eggs and water. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into lined cupcake tins and bake about 25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched or use wooden toothpick test.

Seven Minute Frosting
Makes 10 cups.
1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2/3 cup water
6 large egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Heat 1 1/2 cups sugar, the corn syrup, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Raise heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Cook until syrup registers 235 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour into a glass measuring cup.
Meanwhile, beat whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Reduce to medium-low, and add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Pour syrup into whites in a slow, steady stream down the side of the bowl. Raise speed to medium-high. Beat until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Use immediately.

I added berries to complete them, but any decoration will do!

HAPPY 4th of JULY!!!

Salsa

2009-07-03T09:45:00.000-07:00

1 28oz. can whole tomatoes
1 medium onion, slightly chopped
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, washed and ends cut off
2 1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2oz diced green chiles
3-5 tepin balls, 5 would be considered SPICY!
They are sold at Central Market in the area where you buy bagged mexican spices. Sometimes they are called petin balls too, Kroger sells them under this name.

Chop all ingredients together in a food processor until it's the consistency you like it.

Transformer's Cupcakes

2009-07-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

Clayton wanted Transformer's on his cupcakes this year. Well, our a/c broke and so I did a quicker version but wanted to show pictures anyhow.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-06-30T15:48:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
18 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla.
In another bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Stir in chocolate chips.
With your fingers, place golf ball-sized dough portions 2-inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 9-10 minutes or just until edges are light brown. (Leave them on the cookie sheet for another minute then remove to a wire rack)

S'mores Cookies

2009-06-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

I made these tonight and they are so fun and YUMMY! They're perfect for when you want s'mores but don't want to go camping!

S'Mores Cookies from Everyday Food

1/2 c. old fashioned rolled oats
1 c. all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 c. whole wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c. light brown sugar
1 large egg
8 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, but into 30 squares
(I used the snack-size Hershey bars and broke them in half)
15 large marshmallows, halved horizontally

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor, pulse oats until finely ground.
Add flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; pulse to combine.
In a large bowl, using and electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg, scraping down side of bowl.
With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture just until combined.
Drop by tablespoons, 1 inch apart, onto two baking sheets.
Top each with a chocolate square.
Bake until just lightly golden, 11-13 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.
Remove sheets from oven; heat broiler.
Top each cookie with a marshmallow.
One sheet at a time, broil until marshmallows are lightly browned, 1-1 1/2 minutes.
Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2009-06-11T15:37:00.000-07:00

Crunchy, yet chewy at the same time. Almost the perfect combination!

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Oatmeal raisin cookie recipe from the Quaker Oats box. Bar cookie variation included.

25 min | 10 min prep

48 cookies

1 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups Quicker Quaker Oats or Old-Fashioned Quaker oats, uncooked
1 cup raisins
Heat oven to 350°F.
Beat together margarine and sugars until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.
Stir in oats and raisins; mix well.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.
Makes about 4 dozen.
Bar Cookies: Bake 30 to 35 minutes in ungreased 13x9-inch metal baking pan.

Taquito Casserole

2009-06-11T15:29:00.000-07:00

This was delicious and really the easiest casserole I've ever made. We aren't really big on casseroles.......but when we are, this will be a favorite! Thanks Chaundelle for sharing your recipe that you got from Heather. So, thanks to Heather too.

1 can cream of chicken
1 can of Rotel, drain half
1 can of green enchilada sauce
1 box of taquitos
grated cheese

Mix soup, rotel and green sauce together. Lay out the taquitos in a pan. Pour the blended sauce over them. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Take out and add the cheese on top (as much as you like). Put back in oven and cook until cheese is melted (or under the broiler until browned). Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Lasagna

2009-05-29T16:51:00.000-07:00

I made this today and it was yummy. I used all turkey products for the meat. I think I may add cottage cheese to it next time and a little parsley. It's an easy recipe to play around with. I was excited to see how it turned out......very pleased with the results!

Serves 8
Ingredients
1 pound Italian pork sausage, casings removed
1 pound ground beef sirloin
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree
9 lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella (8 ounces)
Directions
In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, cook sausage and beef over medium-high, breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 4 to 6 minutes. Add onion, carrots, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, then tomatoes; bring to a boil, and remove from heat.
Spoon 2 cups meat mixture into bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Layer 3 noodles (breaking them as needed to fit), 2 cups meat mixture, and 1/2 cup cheese; repeat with two more layers (refrigerate 1/2 cup cheese for topping).
Cover slow cooker, and cook on low, 4 to 6 hours. Sprinkle lasagna with 1/2 cup cheese. Cover until cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.

Parmesan Chicken

2009-05-27T15:45:00.000-07:00

This is one of the easier recipes I have and it's tasty. Make a little angel hair pasta and asparagus or edamame (which we had with it)and it's simple yet tasty!

Saucy Parmesan Chicken

Prep Time: 10 min Total Time: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 4 servings

What You Need!
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1/4 cup Light Zesty Italian Dressing
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Make It!
PLACE all ingredients in large resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat chicken with dressing and cheese.

REFRIGERATE 30 min. to marinate, laying bag flat so chicken pieces do not overlap in bag.

PREHEAT oven to 425ºF. Remove chicken from marinade; discard bag and marinade. Arrange chicken on foil-covered baking sheet. Bake 20 min. or until cooked through.

pictures................

2009-05-20T15:50:00.001-07:00

I know I've been lacking on posting pictures with my recipes, I promise to start doing that again soon!

Smoky Beef Tacos

2009-05-20T15:41:00.000-07:00

Smoky Beef Tacos (This is the original recipe, but I tweaked it a bit)

Prep: 15 minutes Total: 2 3/4 hours or 7-8 hours in crockpot

Ingredients
Serves 8.

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo (but I used diced green chiles instead)
1/2 cup ketchup
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds), excess fat trimmed
16 corn tortillas (6-inch), lightly toasted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, stir together chiles, ketchup, 1 cup water, garlic, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. (I used the crockpot on low for the day instead)
Cut beef into 4 equal pieces. Add to pot, and turn to coat. Cover, and bring to a boil; transfer pot to oven. Bake, covered, until beef is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
Transfer beef to a bowl. With a large spoon, skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid. Shred beef with two forks; moisten with cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve beef with tortillas and desired toppings.

This recipe was EXCELLENT on soft tacos!

Layered Enchilada Bake

2009-05-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

I made this tonight and the whole family became a fan. It was easy!!!!!!

Layered Enchilada Bake

Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 8 servings

1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups Salsa
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained, rinsed
1/4 cup Zesty Italian Dressing
2 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning Mix
6 flour tortillas (8 inch)
1 cup Sour Cream
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese

HEAT oven to 400ºF.

BROWN meat with onions in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Stir in salsa, beans, dressing and seasoning mix.

ARRANGE 3 tortillas on bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with layers of half each meat mixture, sour cream and cheese. Repeat layers. Cover with foil.

BAKE 40 min.or until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted, removing foil after 30 min. Let stand 5 min. before cutting to serve.

Tortellini Soup with Pine Nuts and Bacon

2009-04-28T14:49:00.000-07:00

I made this soup recipe up after being inspired by Chaundelle and her tortellini soup.

20 oz Mixed Cheese Tortellini
1 cup cooked/chopped bacon pieces (I use the bagged bacon in the salad dressing aisle)
1 large handful of pine nuts
sprinkles of dried parsley
chicken stock or broth
water
olive oil
garlic (1 clove)
any other spices you love

I boil in a large stock pan about 2 cups of water and 2 cups of chicken stock. While boiling I add some sprinkles of parsley, the garlic, and sometimes Italian seasonings. When the water is fully boiling I add the tortellinis and cook according to the package.
In another grilling pan I add a tablespoon of olive oil and saute the pine nuts and heat up the bacon.
When the tortellinis are done I add the bacon/pine nut mixture and the soup is ready. You could add shredded parmesan cheese to top it off.

It's a work in progress and I change it a lot. Sometimes I add polish sausage instead of the bacon.

Chocolate Cupcakes topped with a strawberry........

2009-04-24T18:10:00.001-07:00

I made these cupcakes for a luncheon and the frosting was made up from cool whip, cream cheese, powdered sugar and butter. I may have added vanilla, I don't remember. All I know is they were pretty to look at and tasty to eat!

Harrison's Mickey Mouse Birthday

2009-04-24T18:05:00.000-07:00

I made Disney cupcakes for Harrison's 4th birthday party. I couldn't find any cute toppers and decided to use Disney bottle caps instead. They were fun to make!

update on salmon......

2009-04-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

I posted the recipe before I actually ate. WOW, it is so fabulously TASTY!!!! I want you all to try it! It's YUMMY!

Salmon with Maple-Lemon Glaze

2009-04-24T14:56:00.000-07:00

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add fish to bag; seal. Refrigerate 10 minutes, turning bag once.

3. Remove fish from bag, reserving marinade. Place marinade in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute.

4. Heat a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt and pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes. Turn fish over. Brush marinade evenly over fish. Broil 3 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet)

CALORIES 287 ; FAT 14g (sat 2.7g,mono 6.7g,poly 3.6g); CHOLESTEROL 80mg; CALCIUM 23mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.5g; SODIUM 363mg; PROTEIN 31g; FIBER 0.1g; IRON 0.7mg

Cooking Light, APRIL 2009

Chicken with mushroom sauce

2009-04-21T18:45:00.000-07:00

I made this tonight and it was delicious!

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Sauce

Butter and whipping cream add a wonderful lushness to this savory pan gravy, which features fresh morel and button mushrooms.

6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces morel mushrooms
4 ounces button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup whipping cream
4 1/2 cups hot cooked egg noodles
Fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs (optional)

1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Heat 2 teaspoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Add 2 breast halves to pan, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until done. Repeat procedure twice with 4 teaspoons butter and remaining chicken. Keep warm.

2. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until moisture evaporates, stirring frequently. Remove mushroom mixture from pan. Add broth to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 5 minutes). Return mushroom mixture to pan. Stir in cream; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally.

3. Place 3/4 cup egg noodles on each of 6 plates. Cut each chicken breast half into 1-inch-thick strips. Top each serving with 1 chicken breast half and about 1/3 cup mushroom mixture. Garnish each serving with parsley sprigs, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

CALORIES 452 ; FAT 14.2g (sat 7g,mono 3.8g,poly 1.6g); CHOLESTEROL 162mg; CALCIUM 49mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.2g; SODIUM 489mg; PROTEIN 47g; FIBER 2.2g; IRON 3.4mg

Cooking Light, MAY 2009

BROCCOLI AND CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

2009-03-11T15:08:00.000-07:00

This soup is fantastic! Easy too. Don't let all the ingredients intimidate you, it's an easy recipe. I boiled the chicken last night so it would be ready to chop and use today. ENJOY!!!!!

BROCCOLI AND CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP (COOKING LIGHT)

Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup presliced mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons butter
1.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup)
4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
4 ounces uncooked vermicelli, broken into 2-inch pieces
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded light processed cheese (such as Velveeta Light)
4 cups (1-inch) cubed cooked chicken breast
3 cups small broccoli florets (8 ounces)
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt

1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; add butter to mushroom mixture, stirring until butter melts. Sprinkle mushroom mixture with flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Gradually add milk and broth, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 10 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Add pasta to pan; cook 10 minutes. Add cheese to pan, and stir until cheese melts. Add chicken and remaining ingredients to pan; cook 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender and soup is thoroughly heated.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 317 ; FAT 12.3g (sat 6.8g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.9g); CHOLESTEROL 74mg; CALCIUM 179mg; CARBOHYDRATE 23.8g; SODIUM 723mg; PROTEIN 27.5g; FIBER 1.9g; IRON 1.6mg

Cooking Light, MARCH 2009

Italian Bow Tie Pasta

2009-02-25T15:25:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe I have used for awhile with good resuls everytime. One of my favorite people gave it to me (Chaundelle) and now I think you should try it too.
Sorry I don't have any fabulous pictures, but I am in a time crunch and feeling a little lazy. :) But, please enjoy this next time you need a tasty pasta dish!!!!!

Italian Bow Tie Pasta
1 ½ lbs ground meat
1 minced garlic clove
1 medium onion, chopped
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes (cut-up)
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
1 16 oz package of bowtie pasta (cooked and drained)
1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, grated

In a skillet cook meat, onion and garlic over medium heat, drain fat. Transfer to crockpot. Stir in tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, and seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours (or until bubbly).

Increase heat to high and stir in cooked pasta, spinach and cheeses, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Salsa Recipe

2009-02-20T18:03:00.001-08:00

Salsa Recipe

1 28oz can whole tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 bunch cilantro
2 ¼ tsp garlic minced
½ tsp pepper
1 ½ tsp salt
2 oz diced green chiles
4-5 tepin balls (depending on how spicy you like it)

Chop in a food processor until you like the consistency.

Orange Chicken with Steamed Rice....Tasty!

2009-02-20T17:31:00.000-08:00

Slow-Cooker Orange Chicken

Prep Time: 20 min Total Time: 3 hr 20 min Makes: 8 servings, one thigh each

What You Need
1/2 cup Barbecue Sauce
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup orange marmalade
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. grated gingerroot or ground ginger (1/4 tsp.)
8 bone-in chicken thighs (3-1/2 lb.), skin removed

Make It
STIR barbecue sauce and flour in small bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Add all remaining ingredients except chicken; mix well.

POUR sauce mixture evenly over chicken in slow cooker. (Do not stir.) Cover with lid.

COOK on LOW for 3 to 5 hours. Serve chicken topped with the sauce.

I served this with steamed white rice and sliced cucumbers.
YUMMY!!!!

Lasagna Casserole

2009-02-10T15:18:00.001-08:00

Lasagna Casserole

1 lb. Italian sausage (I use turkey sausage)
1/4 cup chopped onion (I didn't add)
1/2 salt
1 tsp. pepper (divided)
1 lb. shredded Mozzarella cheese (about 4 cups)
1 carton (24oz) cottage cheese, I use lowfat, small curd
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. dried parsley
1 box/bag pasta (medium shells, medium spiral, etc) cooked and drained
1 jar spaghetti sauce or alfredo sauce

In a skillet cook sausage until brown, drain. Sprinkle with salt and half of the pepper. In a large bowl combine pasta, 3 cups mozz. cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, parmesan cheese, parsley and remaining pepper, stir gently. Pour into a greased 13x9 pan. Top with sausage and sauce. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with the rest of Mozzarella cheese, cook for 15 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes.

This takes a awhile to cook, but it's worth the extra work.

Sweet Potatoes....

2009-02-09T15:15:00.000-08:00

We had some cubed sweet potatoes with our chicken the other night that were yummy. I cut them up into small cubes, grilled them in a pan of olive oil, salt, and pepper. It took about 30 minutes to get them tender. They were outstanding!

Pulled Chicken and Marinated Cucumbers.......

2009-02-02T19:04:00.000-08:00

BBQ Pulled Chicken and Marinated Cucumbers

You can put this chicken on so many things. Tonight I put it on a tostada with the diced cucumbers and some slivers of avocado. You can also make soft tacos or a bbq chicken sandwich, just add extra sauce. It's limitless!

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken:
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup fat-free less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Cucumbers:
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
Remaining Ingredients:
4 (2 ounce) hamburger buns
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. To prepare chicken, combine first 6 ingredients. Rub surface of chicken breasts with brown sugar mixture.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan. Add onion to pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring constantly.
3. Return chicken to pan; add broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove from heat. Remove chicken from pan; shred with 2 forks. Return chicken to pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in balsamic vinegar.
4. To prepare cucumbers, combine the cider vinegar and next 3 ingredients (cider vinegar through cucumber) in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 10 minutes. Remove cucumber from bag; discard marinade.
5. Spoon 1 cup chicken mixture onto bottom half of each bun. Top each with 1/4 cup cucumber mixture and top half of bun.
NUTRITIONAL INFO:
Healthy Units: 7 per serving
373 cal, 6.4g fat, 32.7g pro, 45.3g carb, 3g

Chili

2009-01-31T18:03:00.000-08:00

Here's a good chili recipe, I hope you enjoy it Natalie!

CHILI
1lb ground meat (I use turkey)
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
290z can tomato sauce
3 (16oz) cans of kidney beans, drained
14 1/2 can stewed tomatoes
6 oz can tomato paste
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Bworn meat. Add chopped onion and green pepper halfway through the browning, drain when done. Pour meat mixture into crockpot, stir in the rest of the ingredients except the cheese. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Serve with the shredded cheese on top.

I'm not a big cornbread fan so I don't have a good recipe, I like it with sourdough rolls instead.

Farfalle with Cauliflower and Turkey Sausage

2009-01-31T17:56:00.000-08:00

We had this delicious dish for dinner tonight and every single one of my kids thought it was good. It's really easy to make as well.

Farfalle with Cauliflower and Turkey Sausage
recipe from Cooking Light (6 WW points)
Ingredients
2 (4-ounce) links mild Italian turkey sausage (I used 5, 2 wasn't enough)
3 cups small cauliflower florets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
5 garlic cloves, sliced
4 cups uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Pierce sausage several times with a knife. Combine sausage, cauliflower, and 1 tablespoon oil in a small roasting pan; toss. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Add garlic to pan; toss. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until sausage is done. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut sausage crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons pasta cooking water. Combine pasta, reserved cooking water, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and crushed red pepper in a large bowl; toss. Add cauliflower mixture, sausage, and cheese; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with black pepper.

Nutritional Information
Calories:436 (35% from fat)
Fat:16.8g (sat 5.2g,mono 7.5g,poly 1.8g)
Protein:24.1g
Carbohydrate:48.2g
Fiber:3.8g
Cholesterol:62mg
Iron:2.4mg
Sodium:830mg
Calcium:185mg

Chimichangas (from Cooking Light)

2009-01-30T15:04:00.000-08:00

Tonight we had these for dinner with brown rice, a very easy and healthy way to eat a delicious Mexican dish.

Chimichangas
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups shredded roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled queso fresco cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free refried beans
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Cooking spray
1/2 cup bottled green salsa
Preparation

Preheat oven to 500°.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well.

Spread 1/4 cup beans down center of each tortilla. Top each tortilla with 2/3 cup chicken mixture; roll up. Place rolls, seam sides down, on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat tops of chimichangas with cooking spray. Bake at 500° for 7 minutes. Serve with salsa. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 chimichanga and about 4 teaspoons salsa)

Nutritional Information
Calories:380 (23% from fat),Fat:9.7g (sat 3.1g,mono 4.1g,poly 1.6g), Protein:28.8g, Carbohydrate:42.5g, Fiber:6.5g, Cholesterol:55mg, Iron:3.8mg, Sodium:728mg, Calcium:157mg

Cilantro Burgers with Garlic Fries

2009-01-29T15:41:00.000-08:00

Tonight I made two recipes from Cooking Light, which is quite possibly the best magazine ever! I don't ever use buns for these burgers, they are good just to eat by themselves.
Here are the recipes....

GARLIC FRIES

Tossing the fries in butter and garlic after cooking makes them unbelievably rich.

3 pounds peeled baking potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter
8 garlic cloves, minced (about 5 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag, tossing to coat.
Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 50 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning after 20 minutes.
Place butter and garlic in a large nonstick skillet; cook over low heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add potatoes, parsley, and cheese to pan; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings

CALORIES 256 (27% from fat); FAT 7.7g (sat 3.3g,mono 2g,poly 2g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 12mg; CALCIUM 55mg; CARBOHYDRATE 42.3g; SODIUM 386mg; PROTEIN 5.9g; FIBER 3.5g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2002

CILANTRO BURGERS

1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup (1 ounce) preshredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound ground turkey
Cooking spray

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/3-inch-thick patty.

Heat a large grill pan or large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add turkey patties, and cook 5 minutes on each side or until done.

Crepes!

2009-01-28T06:51:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of making crepes this morning with a recipe from Scotty and Chaundelle. Well, they were scrumptious!
We used pineapple mango jam, strawberry jam and lemon and powdered sugar as the fillings. I wish I had chocolate chips, but we improvised.
Here's the recipe for you to try.......

Crepes

1 1/8 cups of presifted flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Dash of salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups of milk
1 TBS melted butter
Butter for pan

Into mixing bowl sift together flour, granulated sugar and salt.

Combine eggs and milk; add to flour mixture. Beat until smooth. Stir in butter. Batter should just coasts spoon.

Put 1/2 teaspoon butter in 5 or 6 inch skillet. Swirl pan over high heat to coat sides and bottom. Pour in about 2 Tablespoons of the batter; swirl pan to spread evenly. Cook for about 1 minute, or until set and browned on one side. Turn and cook on other side until browned.

Filling suggestions: choc. chips, blackberry preserves, apricot preserves, ham and cheese, nutella, etc.

Fill, roll and enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was a delicious dinner, thanks Kristen!

2009-01-26T16:14:00.000-08:00

Tonight I made a couple of recipes my friend (whom I miss dearly) Kristen sent me. Well, I finally got all the stuff and tried them tonight. WOW, they were both so good and I wanted to share the recipes!

Crispy Pan Fried Chciken with Summer Sauce
Sauce ingredients:
2 cups fresh cilantro
3 garlic gloves, minced
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 cup mayonnaise (I used light)

Chicken ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup panko (find these by the breadcrumbs) or crushed tortilla chips
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the sauce:
Process the cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, vinegar, and water in a blender or food processor until pureed. Pour the misture into a bowl and whick in the mayop. chill, covered in the fridge.

For the chicken:
pound the chicken to 1/2 inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap with a meat mallet. Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Coat the chicken lightly with the flour mixture, shake off excess. Dip in the eggs and coat with panko.

Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the chicken. Cook over med/high heat about 5 minutes on each side or golden brown and cooked through. Serve immediately with the sauce.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Artichokes
Ingredients:
2 lbs. small red potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-2 cans artichokes, quartered. Drain first.
1 yellow onion chopped
1/2 cup crmbled feta cheese
paprika to taste

Line a 13x9 inch pan with foil, spray with nonstick spray. Combine the potatoes, olive oil, thyme and pepper in a ziploc bag, seal tightly and turn to coat. Pour the potato mixture into the prepared pan.

Roast at 425 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until they are tender. Add the artichokes and onions during the last 20 minutes of the baking time. When done, toss the potatoes with the feta cheese in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with paprika.

P.S. Don't be intimidated by the amount of work......it's so worth it!

Lasagna

2009-01-24T16:01:00.000-08:00

So tonight I made lasagna, one for the Picketts and one for us. Instead of the usual garlic bread I bought some garlic flatbread (the brand is Tuscan Flatbread), and it is so good and soft, yet crunchy. I made a salad too with spring mix, cucumbers, carrots, bacon bits (the real stuff) and choice of dressing. Everyone raved about the dinner which makes me happy!

Lasagna Recipe

2009-01-24T15:07:00.000-08:00

LASAGNA
10oz lasagna noodles (cooked according to package directions)
1lb. ground meat (I use ground turkey)
2 small cans tomato paste
1 (16oz) can tomatoes, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
dash of salt
1 tbsp. basil
2 eggs
3 cups cottage cheese or ricotta cheese, sometimes I mix them
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. parsley flakes
1lb. cube mozzarella cheese (thinly sliced)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil noodles. Brown meat, drain the grease. Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, garlic, salt, and basil to the meat. simmer on med/low for 30 minutes. While meat mixture is cooking slice mozzarella cheese, set aside. In amixing bowl slightly beat eggs first, then add cottage cheese, parmesan cheese and parsley, stir until blended. Use a 13 x 9 pan and layer starting with noodles, then half the egg mixture, add slices of mozzarella in a thin layer, then half the meat mixture. Repeat this process again, ending with the meat mixture. Cook for 30 minutes, let stand for 10 minutes. ENJOY!!!

Shepherd's Pie and Roasted Cauliflower

2009-01-20T15:04:00.000-08:00

Tonight I made Susan's Shepherd Pie and Roasted Cauliflower from Everyday Food.
Both are so easy and yet so tasty. The roasted cauliflower has kind of a nutty flavor and the Shepherd's Pie can be altered however you like it. I used ground turkey as the meat and also reduced fat mushroom soup to lighten it all.

Here are before and after pictures of each......

Roasted Cauliflower

2 tbls. Olive oil
1 bunch cauliflower cored and made into to small pieces
Salt and pepper
1 ½ teaspoon paprika

Use a baking sheet lined with foil. Oven to 450. Place cauliflower on baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and paprika until all pieces are coated. Roast until tender and lightly browned (about 20-25 minutes, tossing once)

Susan's Shepherd Pie

1 Lb ground meat
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can corn, drained
1 package mashed potatoes, prepared
cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top before baking

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown meat and then add soup and corn, combine. Layer in a pie pan or casserole dish, start with meat mixture, then prepared mashed potatoes, then sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Spaghetti

2009-01-19T15:12:00.000-08:00

So, tonight we had spaghetti which is the easiest thing to make in the whole wide world. But, instead of ground turkey I used turkey italian sausage, it was super yummy and different.
I am inspired to make some new dishes this week....I'll let you know! Thanks Kristen for sending me some new recipes, they are greatness!

Blueberry Muffins......I added chocolate chips to experiment. WOW!

2009-01-17T10:18:00.000-08:00

So I made these muffins today to bring to a friend's house and they turned out to be so delicious with the added chocolate chips!
You can just make plain blueberry muffins....but for that yummy twist add chocolate chips! The recipe is from Cooking Light, but they don't taste healthy at all!
Recipe:

Blueberry Cinnamon-Burst Muffins
Makes 18 muffins
¼ cup flour
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 ½ cups flour
5 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 ½ cup frozen blueberries
Cooking spray

1.preheat oven to 400 degrees
2.lightly spoon ¼ cup flour into a measuring cup, level with a knife. Combine ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl, and cut in 3 tablespoons butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
3.Place 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup butter in a bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed 1 minute or until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon 2 ½ cups flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries and cinnamon mixture (batter will be thick)
4.Spoon batter into 18 muffin cups coating with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pans 5 minutes on a wire rack. Remove muffins from pans; place on wire rack.

Chicken and Dumplings.....perfect food for a cold night

2009-01-16T17:34:00.001-08:00

Tonight I tried a new Chicken and Dumplings recipe from CL. Well, it was soooooo good and comforting on a cold night. It took a little longer than I thought it would but it was worth it. I would double it if Mike were home, this recipe is only 2 servings. But, I loved it!

Herbed Chicken and Dumplings

Cooking spray
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup (1/4-inch) diagonally cut celery
1/2 cup (1/4-inch) diagonally cut carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
3 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2.25 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add celery and next 5 ingredients (through bay leaf) to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Return chicken to pan; cook 1 minute. Add broth to pan; bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, chopped parsley, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add milk, stirring just until moist. Spoon by heaping teaspoonfuls into broth mixture; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until dumplings are done. Discard parsley sprigs and bay leaf.

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

CALORIES 285 (16% from fat); FAT 5.2g (sat 1.5g,mono 1.9g,poly 1.2g); IRON 3.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 55mg; CALCIUM 133mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.2g; SODIUM 596mg; PROTEIN 25g; FIBER 3.1g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2008

Mac and Cheese.....the hard way.

2009-01-13T16:34:00.000-08:00

I made the mac and cheese from Cooking Light tonight. It was good but not as cheesy as the Martha Stewart version. But I'm sure the calories are not the same. The kids all liked it which counts for me! Good for when you're craving it and don't want the boxed kind....which by the way is not good for you. I also added turkey polish sausage with it and then some berries on the side too.

Recipe:
Creamy Four-Cheese Macaroni

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 2/3 cups 1% low-fat milk
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded fontina cheese or Swiss cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
3 ounces light processed cheese (such as light Velveeta)
6 cups cooked elbow macaroni (about 3 cups uncooked)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1/3 cup crushed onion melba toasts (about 12 pieces)
1 tablespoon reduced-calorie margarine, softened

Preheat oven to 375°.

Place flour in a large saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat 8 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Add cheeses; cook 3 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in macaroni and salt.

Spoon mixture into a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Combine crushed toasts and margarine in a small bowl; stir until well-blended. Sprinkle over macaroni mixture. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Three-Pepper Variation: add these ingredients for a spicier version of our Creamy Four-Cheese Macaroni. Add 1 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell pepper, 1 tablespoon chopped seeded pickled jalapeño pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper at the same time the macaroni and salt are added.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 350 (29% from fat); FAT 11.2g (sat 6.3g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.9g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 32mg; CALCIUM 306mg; CARBOHYDRATE 42.4g; SODIUM 497mg; PROTEIN 18g; FIBER 2.1g

Pizza Cupcakes (aka pouches)

2009-01-12T16:14:00.000-08:00

Pizza Cupcakes
Makes 6 pouches, I doubled it.

1 can store bought pizza dough
6 tablespoons pizza sauce
6 fully cooked meatballs, you can use any cooked meat I think
6 tablespoons shredded mozzarella (I used more)
1 tablespoon grated parmesean (I used more than that)
1 egg
1 teaspoon milk

Preheat oven at 375. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick, cut into eighths (2 will be left over, I made a calzone) Grease muffin pan. Line each cup with a piece of dough, letting excess hang over sides. Fill each cup with 1 tablespoon sauce and a meatball cut into pieces. Divided cheeses equally among the cups. Gather the excess dough and cover the filling. Whisk the egg and milk and brush them on each pouch. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

The whole family enjoyed these.

I feel like chicken tonight.....

2009-01-09T18:09:00.000-08:00

Here's the recipe for the picture above.....the secret ingredient was the olive oil Mike brought back from Rome! I pity the day that stuff is gone. I also added green beans and long grain rice.

ENJOY!

Chinese-Style Glazed Chicken Breasts

1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon apricot preserves or fruit spread (I always use orange marmalade)
4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (you can also cut these into bite size pieces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and sauté for 3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from pan. Reduce heat; carefully stir in broth mixture. Return chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes or until done, turning to coat.

Birthday Cupcakes

2009-01-09T18:03:00.000-08:00

Birthday Cupcakes I've made in the past.