A Taste of Home Cooking

Recipe Swap - Poached Salmon with Creamy Piccata Sauce

2012-01-27T07:00:00.001-05:00

Since many people make one of their New Years resolutions to eat healthier and/or lose weight, I thought a Healthy Recipe Swap would be a good idea. I've been trying to lose some weight myself and have been very successful so far, although admittedly it isn't because I'm buying low-fat foods or using whole wheat pasta. I'm just eating less of the full-fat things I like. I know, I know, that isn't the best choice. But I just can't deny myself the things I love and I love food.

The recipe I received for the swap was Poached Salmon with Creamy Piccata Sauce. I was planning to sub the salmon for cod or halibut, but when SP went to the store he told me both cod and halibut were way too expensive ($30/lb for halibut? Seriously? I can buy filet for that much money). So despite not being a huge fan of salmon, we went that route.

This was definitely an easy recipe to make and I'd venture it's pretty healthy since you're poaching the salmon instead of pan-searing it (which is the only way I've liked it in the past). The sauce was really good, but a little thin. I think some cornstarch would have helped to thicken it up a bit. And no, I didn't use reduced-fat sour cream. I also subbed parsley for the dill since I don't cook much with dill and didn't want to have the leftovers go to waste.

Poached Salmon with Creamy Piccata Sauce
Cheese Curd in Paradise

1 pound center-cut salmon fillet, skin removed and cut into 4 portions
1 cup dry white wine, divided
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons capers, rinsed
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or parsley

Place salmon in a large skillet. Add 1/2 cup wine and enough water to just cover the salmon. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer, turn the salmon over, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining 1/2 cup wine; boil until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice and capers; cook 1 minute more. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and salt. To serve, top the salmon with the sauce and garnish with dill.

Cupcakes with Nutella Frosting

2012-01-26T07:20:00.000-05:00

My friend Melissa posted these Banana Cupcakes with Nutella Frosting recently and it seemed like the universe was trying to tell me something when SP found our missing jar of Nutella the same night. My aunt was in town this past weekend and had offered to make dinner, so I thought I'd bring these cupcakes over for dessert.

I asked SP and my mom and they both agreed that regular cupcakes with Nutella frosting would be more to their liking, so I just whipped up a batch of cupcakes using a boxed mix I had on hand. The frosting couldn't have been easier and the slice of banana on top was a nice touch. Just a word of warning, though - if you use the sliced banana only slice and top as many cupcakes as you plan to eat. The banana got slimy and ruined the last few cupcakes we had saved.

Nutella Frosting
I Was Born to Cook

1/2 cup Nutella
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
5 tablespoons heavy cream

Mix all ingredients together until fluffy. Add a bit more cream if necessary. Frost cupcakes once they are completely cool. Garnish with a banana slice, if desired.

Taco Rice

2012-01-25T07:41:00.000-05:00

I feel like a broken record when I say I found a recipe on Cassie's blog. As I've said before, she and I share a similar cooking style so it's only natural that we'd make each others recipe often. Whenever I make tacos SP wants rice on the side, so when I saw this Taco Rice I figured it was a win-win.

I promise the rice is in there somewhere. Not my best food styling moment but I was experimenting with the lights from my new light box and ended up overdoing the plate a bit.

I was a little disappointed by this dish. It lacked oomph. There wasn't any sauce, which is a big no-no in our house since we love our sauces. And SP told me he really missed the taco shells. After talking it over with Cassie she said her husband often adds crushed tortilla chips to his serving, so I modified the directions below to reflect that. I also changed the ingredient list a bit so there'd be some sauce. I'll definitely try this one again because I think it has potential.

Taco Rice
Cassie Craves

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 pound ground beef
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup sour cream,
4 cups steamed rice
Shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, crushed tortilla chips and shredded mozzarella for topping

Heat the vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute until the onions are barely soft. Add the ground beef and break it into small chunks. Add the cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper and tomato paste. Let this simmer for about 5 minutes. Combine salsa and sour cream. Stir into the ground beef.

Spread 1/2 to 1 cup of the steamed rice on each plate. Top with the seasoned beef. Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, crushed chips and cheese.

Crispy Parmesan and Garlic Chicken

2012-01-24T07:40:00.000-05:00

I finally joined Pinterest. So far I'm not quite getting the addiction many people have, but I have found some yummy looking recipes, like this one for Crispy Parmesan and Garlic Chicken. Jamie's blog is new to me but it looks like she has a lot of great recipes.

We both really enjoyed this take on Chicken Parmesan. I used jarred sauce since we had some in the pantry and it was easy, but this would be truly amazing with some of SP's homemade sauce. The only thing to remember is that you need to marinate the chicken overnight, so plan ahead. I had to thaw my chicken breasts in water so they could marinate since I forgot to take them out of the freezer early enough.

I ate my leftover chicken for lunch the next day with a salad made with mixed greens, shredded carrot, tomatoes, mushrooms, red onion and balsamic vinegar and oil.

Crispy Parmesan and Garlic Chicken
Jamie Cooks It Up

1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
4 chicken breasts
1 cup panko bread crumbs
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Cooked pasta
Spaghetti sauce of your choice

Heat garlic, olive oil and poultry seasoning in a small sauce pan over medium heat for 1 minute.

With a sharp pair of kitchen scissors cut each chicken breast in half. Then cut a couple of long slits in the top of each chicken piece. Be careful not to cut all the way through. Put chicken in a plastic food storage bag and pour the warm marinade over the top of it. Seal the bag, toss it around to coat the chicken, then put it in your fridge to marinate up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and take the chicken out of the fridge. Pour panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese into a loaf pan. Smash them together with a fork to combine. Dip each piece of chicken into the cheese and bread crumb mixture. Press it into the chicken with your fingers.

Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Arrange the chicken on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with spaghetti sauce and cooked pasta.

Weekly Menu - Week of January 22, 2012

2012-01-22T07:12:00.004-05:00

Things have gotten a little hectic around the THC household lately. Thankfully I came up with this meal plan early in the week and I'm actually done with next week as well. I love when that happens. It's the exact opposite experience of what I posted about last week, having trouble making a plan because nothing sounds good.

UPDATE: I've had to make some changes to our weekly menu. Like I said, it's been a crazy time in the THC household.

Sunday - Homemade pizza

Monday - Crispy Chicken with Creamy Italian Sauce and Bowtie Pasta, Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli: I saw the chicken recipe on Pinterest and knew I had to make it. I'm planning to use Panko instead of corn flakes because I have a HUGE box in my pantry already.

Tuesday - Hoagies after exercise class. :)

Wednesday - we have an appointment after work so we'll get something out.

Thursday - Poached Salmon with Creamy Piccata Sauce, roasted potatoes, green beans: This is my recipe for the Healthy Recipe Swap and I'm very excited. The cod or halibut were incredibly expensive ($30/lb for halibut, what the heck?) so I decided to stick with salmon.

Friday - Homemade calzones stuffed with pepperoni and olives

Saturday - Spicy Chicken in Garlic Lime Broth over Spaghetti: I love this recipe of Mary Ellen's but haven't made it in awhile.

Sunday - Potato Rosemary Soup, turkey, tomato and cheese panini with herbed mayo for dipping: I love a good soup and I'm excited to make sandwiches to dip instead of plain bread.

Chicken with Creamy Chive Sauce

2012-01-20T07:37:00.002-05:00

When you are part of a community of food bloggers you tend to notice when a recipe becomes popular. Suddenly you see everyone making it and you start to wonder what all the fuss is about. If you're lucky, the recipe is outstanding and you're happy to add it to your arsenal. I've seen this recipe for Chicken with Creamy Chive Sauce on a few of my favorite blogs lately. The ingredient list alone drew me in and the rave reviews sealed the deal.

You know me and my love for cream sauces so this one was guaranteed to be a winner. I didn't use reduced-fat sour cream so my calorie count was a bit higher, but otherwise I stayed true to the original recipe. I'm not exaggerating when I say I loved this meal. The sauce. Oh the sauce. I do love sauce and this one was perfectly creamy without being overly rich. The bite from the Dijon was perfect to accent the nice, mild onion flavor from the chives and shallots. You definitely want to serve this over mashed potatoes to soak up that delicious sauce.

I know I say this often but I apologize for the awful photos. I actually got a light box recently but haven't had time to set it up. I hate when I don't have good photos for a recipe I love because I don't want the lackluster photos to deter anyone from http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifmaking the recipe. I will definitely be rephotographing this either with the light box or natural light. For now, go to Prevention RD, who made this the same night I did, for some absolutely drool-inducing photos.

Chicken with Creamy Chive Sauce
Slightly Modified from Gourmet Day to Day

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (about 1 pound), trimmed of fat
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour, divided
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large shallots, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup chopped chives, (about 1 bunch)

Cut each chicken breast in half length-wise to make two, thin piece. Alternatively, place chicken between in a plastic food storage bag and pound with a meat mallet until flattened to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch.

Place 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup flour in a plastic food storage bag. Add the chicken, seal the bag, and toss to coat evenly.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour; stir to coat. Add wine, broth and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil, stirring often.

Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until heated through and no longer pink in the center, about 6 minutes. Stir in sour cream and mustard until smooth; turn the chicken to coat with the sauce. Stir in chives and serve immediately.

Recipe Swap Roundup - SRC-style

2012-01-18T07:13:00.001-05:00

If you are a food blogger you've probably heard of the Secret Recipe Club (SRC). If you aren't familiar with the concept, your blog is entered into a pool and swapped with another blog. You have approximately one month to pick a recipe from the blog you're assigned, make it and write about it. I've been a member for a few months and it's a lot of fun. Some of the ladies on the cooking board have been trying to get into the club, but there's a very long wait list. It was suggested that we do a SRC-style swap as part of the recipe swaps I host to give everyone a bit more freedom and creativity. This was a very popular swap, judging from the number of participants, so I'm planning to do this type of swap every 2 months or so.

Jenna ended up making three recipes, but her favorite were Snickerdoodles, which reminded her of her love for cinnamon toast:

The Cookaholic Wife needed some appetizers for her New Year's Even party and the Bacon and Cream Cheese Jalapeno Bites were the perfect way to satisfy her love for jalapenos and cream cheese:

Jaida had some beef stew meat to use up, which meant the Beef and Guinness Stew was a perfect choice (and delicious, too, even for non-beer drinkers):

Swap newcomer Jenni got one of her "must cook" recipes made with Shrimp Fra Diavolo:

Katie and her daughter both enjoyed these flavorful and delicious Shrimp Tacos:

Allison had a bunch of bananas quickly becoming over-ripe on her counter, which lead her to these indulgent Banana Crumb Muffins:

Nicole was happy to use her husband's new immersion blender and add a new soup to her rotation with Roasted Squash Soup with Sweet Potato and Parsnip:

Carrie wanted something simple to ease her back into the kitchen and this Tortellini & Pancetta in Mushroom Walnut Sauce was the perfect choice:

Mary Ellen's Chicken in a Tomato-Basil Broth over Cous Cous was a delicious burst of summer in the middle of winter:

Ashley had a tough time choosing which recipe to make, but these Potatoes Romanoff were calling her name:

Melissa's family had a taste of summer with this Blackberry Peach Cobbler, using berries and peaches from the freezer stash she created over the summer:

Swap newcomer Eva made these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies to share with her husband and his peanut butter-loving coworkers:

Melissa was able to use a bag of almond meal she had on hand for her Almond Tilapia with Wilted Tomatoes & Spinach:

Lauren was smitten with her German Chocolate Brownie Bites (which are part of two posts):

The chicken in Heather's Un-stuffed Chicken Florentine was too small to stuff, but the filling worked just as well as a topping:

Jey regularly orders Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps when she's out, so she was excited for a homemade recipe:

Cathy had an easy time choosing her recipe for Snickerdoodle Blondies since she loves both snickerdoodles and blondies:

Melissa had my blog and chose one of my favorite dishes, Chicken Sriracha Stir Fry:

Lisa really enjoyed how simple and tasty her Pretzel Bites were to make and eat:

My Hearty Ham and Potato Soup really hit the spot:

Coleen chose to make Stuffed Peppers since she hadn't made them before:

(Coleen had camera issues so this is the photo from Cooking for Fun)

Swap newcomer Kristina had some pork in the freezer that needed to be used up, which lead her to Pork Tonkatsu:

The Cooking Nurse had stocked up on pumpkin around the holidays, which made her choice of Pumpkin Cream Pie an easy one:

Lishie's husband requested stuffed peppers and she was able to find chorizo at a market in Manhattan, so Chorizo Stuffed Bell Peppers was a no-brainer:

Cake Batter Cookies

2012-01-17T07:35:00.001-05:00

We all know I don't really bake, so when our friends invited us to their house for dinner and asked that I bring dessert I figured I'd end up buying something at a bakery. Then I remembered seeing these Cake Batter Cookies on Stephanie's Top Ten Recipes of 2011 and thought it would be a nice way to use up some cake mix I had in the pantry and get Baby Girl in the kitchen with me.

These could not have been easier to make since all you are really doing is dumping the cake mix in a bowl and adding baking powder, eggs, oil and chocolate chips. Like Stephanie says, I bet these would be fun using different kinds of cake mix and different add-ins like nuts or M&Ms, raisins or even dried fruit. The possibilities are endless and because the dough is so simple the sky's the limit.

Baby Girl had a blast helping me (she especially loves stirring and dumping things into bowls). She even had her own spoon to take the dough from the bowl and put it on the cookie sheets. I love getting her into the kitchen and she loves helping so it's a win-win. My only complaint is that my cookies spread in the oven. Next time I'll chill the dough a bit before putting it on the cookie sheets. I've modified the directions below.

Cake Batter Cookies
Slightly Modified from Stephanie Cooks

1 (18.25 oz.) box cake mix
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix and baking powder. Add eggs and oil, then mix until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips, or your choice of add-ins. Cover the bowl and chill for 30 minutes. Once chilled, drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes approximately 30 cookies

Orange and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

I had a pack of two pork tenderloins in the freezer that I wanted to use up and no real recipe in mind. SP asked for something simple with bold flavors, preferably not Asian-inspired (i.e. no soy sauce, ginger, etc.) A quick Google search led me to Orange and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin. Sold!

I was in love with this recipe after I mixed up the marinade. It smelled absolutely intoxicating. I am so happy my rosemary plant is still doing well because fresh rosemary was wonderful in the marinade. After reading through the recipe I decided to modify the cooking method for the pork because (1) a quick sear always adds nice color and flavor and (2) I couldn't see the tenderloins cooking through after only 25 minutes in the oven.

The result was absolutely delicious. The pork had just a hint of pink in the middle and was moist, juicy and flavorful. And the sauce. Oh the sauce. The citrus burst with the touch of cream was perfect. Next time I'll double the marinade recipe (quantity changes reflected below) because I wished there was more sauce. I served the pork with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. The extra sauce would have been great over both, which is why there'll be more next time.

Orange and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin
Modified from Chocolate and Zucchini

2 pork tenderloins

For the marinade:
4 oranges, juiced
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 rounded teaspoons honey
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For finishing:
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt
A handful parsley, coarsely chopped

Cut the tenderloins in 3 or 4 equal portions and place them in a plastic food storage bag. Whisk together the marinade ingredients and pour them over the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 360 degrees. Remove the pork from the fridge and pour the marinade into a small saucepan.

Heat a cast-iron or other heavy bottomed, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place the pork pieces into the skillet and sear on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Put the skillet in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, until cooked through but not dried out (the meat should be pale pink in the center; if using a meat thermometer, the recommended safe internal temperature is 160°F), flipping the meat a couple of times during the roasting.

While the meat is roasting, put the saucepan with the remaining marinade over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Keep boiling, uncovered, stirring regularly, until the marinade has reduced. Add in the cream, salt and parsley. Stir, and keep warm over low heat.

When the meat is ready, remove the skillet from the oven, and transfer the meat to a cutting board. If there are any juices in the skillet add them to the sauce and bring back to a boil. Cut the meat pieces into thick slices and serve with the sauce.

Weekly Menu - Week of January 15, 2012

2012-01-15T10:29:00.006-05:00

I love meal planning. In the 6 years I've been doing it I know it's helped save us money, time and hassle. I started planning weekly menus when we were saving to buy a house. It was purely about saving money at that point. And, to be honest, I can't even remember how we grocery shopped or cooked before that. Without a list of recipes and ingredient lists, how the heck did I know what to buy? Or cook on a Tuesday?

That being said, there are plenty of weeks I struggle to create a meal plan. Sometimes, like this week, I'm so inspired by blog posts or cravings that I have my meal plan done early in the week. Other weeks it's Friday afternoon and I'm desperately trying to finalize our shopping list when nothing sounds appealing. But I still meal plan because at this point I don't know any other way to cook meals for my family.

Sunday - Pork Chop and Hash Brown Bake: I didn't get to make this last week so I'm carrying it over. The mystery casserole from the freezer will have to wait another week.

Monday - Chicken with Creamy Chive Sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans: I first saw this recipe on Jessy's blog but have since seen others on my cooking board make it and rave about it. I can't wait to try it.

Tuesday - Hoagies

Wednesday - Taco Rice: Another Cassie recipe that I know won't steer me wrong. I love tacos and whenever I make them SP is always asking for rice on the side, so this is brilliant and perfect for us.

Thursday - Crispy Parmesan and Garlic Chicken, pasta and salad: I finally joined Pinterest and this was one of my first pins.

Friday - Homemade pizza

Recipe Swap - Hearty Ham and Potato Soup

2012-01-13T07:07:00.009-05:00

If you are a food blogger you've probably heard of the Secret Recipe Club (SRC). I've been a member for a few months and it's a lot of fun. Some of the ladies on the cooking board have been trying to get into the club, but there's a very long wait list at this point. Enter the SRC-style theme for the most recent installment of the recipe swap. Judging from the number of participants I'm planning to do this type of swap (swapping whole blogs instead of specific recipes) every 2 months or so.

I received The Cooking Nurse, the blog that brought me one of my all-time favorite soups - Chicken Gnocchi Soup. I spent some time browsing through the various categories and had such a tough time narrowing it down that I finally told SP to decide. He chose this Hearty Ham and Potato Soup. Perfect for a cold winter day...except we haven't been having typical January temps. Still, it was close to 40 degrees the night I made this, as opposed to the almost 60-degree days we've been having lately. Not that I'm complaining, because I most certainly am not. I love this weather.

This was a delicious, easy soup to make. I prepped the ingredients ahead of time so all I had to do when I got home was cook it. I upped the amount of ingredients so we were sure to have enough leftover for lunch the next day. I've said before that I'm not a big fan of soup but that's changed lately. A big bowl of hearty soup with bread for dipping is pretty darn good in my book. And PS, Baby Girl pronounced this soup "delicious," which is an automatic "make again" in my book.

This post is actually doing double duty as both my recipe for the SRC-style swap and my entry into Branny's Charity Souper Bowl. As many of you know, we had to say goodbye to our beloved cat, Dusty, on New Year's Eve. I know it's only been about two weeks but we still miss him every day. The house is too quiet. I find myself stepping around his non-existent food and water bowls in the kitchen, propping our doors with door stops to keep him from banging them open and doing my usual "locate the cat" scan of the house when I get home from work. Dusty came to us from our local SPCA so it's very fitting that I dedicate my Charity Souper Bowl post to him. We love you, pal.

Please consider blogging about a soup and submitting it to Branny for the Souper Bowl. Shelter animals will always hold a special place in my heart and organizations like the SPCA always need help caring for animals.

Hearty Ham and Potato Soup
Slightly Modified from The Cooking Nurse

2 tablespoons butter
2 ribs celery, diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups diced ham steak
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar

Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until just tender. Add the potatoes, ham and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and thyme.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot and continue cooking soup until heated through and bubbly. Add cheddar cheese and stir to melt.

Santa Hat Brownies

2012-01-12T07:51:00.000-05:00

As soon as I saw my friend Jessy's post for Santa Hat Brownies I knew they needed to be part of our Christmas dinner. I emailed my mom to ask her to make the brownies and bring the rest of the ingredients to our house for dinner so Baby Girl could help her assemble them.

Watching the two of them assemble the brownies was priceless. Baby Girl loved helping and the resulting brownies were adorable. But man, are they rich! I don't eat dessert that often but I could barely finish one of these. I think the buttercream was very, very sugary and heavy so I, personally, would prefer whipped cream. I don't know how they whipped cream would hold up, but at least it would be lighter. Even so, these are a really cute addition to any Christmas table.

Santa Hat Brownies
Gourmet Day to Day

1 pan of brownies, baked and cooled
20-24 small strawberries
1 batch of buttercream frosting (or a frosting of your choice)

Buttercream Frosting
(you will have some extra buttercream left with this recipe)

3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup butter (softened but not melted)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low-speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

To Assemble Brownies:

Using a small round cookie cutter or a small drinking glass, cut out brownies. Clean and remove stems from strawberries, cut the stems off flat so it will sit flat on the brownie. Place strawberries point side up on the center of each brownie circle.

Using a piping bag (or zip-top bag with the corner snipped to create a piping bag in a pinch) Pipe the frosting around the strawberry for the white rim of Santa’s hat and top each strawberry point with a small drop of frosting.

Note for storage: If you plan on refrigerating these cuties, make sure you chill them uncovered first. This will allow the buttercream to harden so you don’t you lose your cute Santa hat topper to plastic wrap!

Pretzel Ranch Chicken Tenders

2012-01-11T07:45:00.000-05:00

Another simple, easy and delicious dinner from Cassie - Pretzel Ranch Chicken Tenders. I love how the salty pretzels and the Ranch combine to make a perfectly seasoned chicken tender.

Pretzel Ranch Chicken Tenders
Cassie Craves

1-2 pounds chicken breasts, sliced into strips
Ranch dressing
Pretzels

Place chicken tenders in a bowl and cover with ranch dressing; stir to combine. Let sit for 5 or 10 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight.

Process pretzels in a food processor until they are fine crumbs. Coat chicken tenders in pretzel crumbs. Cook over medium heat in a skillet with a small amount of oil, or bake in a 350-degree oven, until cooked through.

Serve with additional ranch dressing for dipping.

Weekly Menu - Week of January 8, 2012

2012-01-10T07:54:00.004-05:00

I'm sorry I haven't been keeping up with our weekly meal plan. Now that the holidays are officially over (in our house they extend to my birthday), I'm getting back into the swing of things. It's hard for me to believe it's January already. Aside from the freak Halloween snowstorm we haven't even had snow yet. But that's the Northeast for you. We don't usually get measurable snow until after the New Year. I'm envisioning lots of comfort food in the coming months!

Sunday - Final birthday celebration = SUSHI and cupcakes!

Monday - Orange and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli: The marinade alone smelled amazing. I can't wait to try what I hope will be a flavorful pork dish.

Tuesday - Hoagies: I'll finally come clean and admit that we've been getting these weekly since I started taking my exercise class. Oops. We each eat half of a hoagie and take the other half for lunch the next day. One of their Italian hoagies was the first thing I ate after giving birth and it always hits the spot to this day.

Wednesday - Hearty Ham and Potato Soup, ciabatta for dipping: This recipe is doing double duty as my recipe swap recipe and my entry into Branny's Souper Bowl Challenge

Thursday - Pork Chop and Hashbrown Bake, green beans or salad (or maybe salad with green beans): This is one of SP's favorite dishes and he was very excited to hear it's on this week's menu.

Friday - Homemade pizza (if I remember to pick up pizza dough sometime this week)

Saturday - Italian Nachos: We usually have a big lunch on Saturdays so this will be perfect for dinner.

Rigatoni with Chicken, Bacon and Mushrooms

2012-01-09T07:46:00.000-05:00

By now you all now how much I love pasta. And cream sauces. And chicken. So when a dish combines all three, with the added bonus of mushrooms and bacon for SP, it's guaranteed to be a winner in our house. Cassie recently had this Rigatoni with Chicken, Bacon and Mushrooms on her weekly meal plan and I immediately added it to ours as well.

With the exception of our New Year's Eve dinner (which I'm sad I didn't photograph because SP said it was the best meal I've made in a very long time) this is one of the only meals I've cooked. After Christmas dinner I haven't spent much time in the kitchen between leftovers, takeout, and my birthday. It felt good to actually cook a proper meal. And bonus points for using only one skillet (and a pot to boil the pasta). Thanks for yet another winner, Cassie.

Rigatoni with Chicken, Bacon and Mushrooms
Slightly Adapted from Cassie Craves

1-lb rigatoni
Garlic powder
Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
6-ounces mushrooms, cut into quarters
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup apple juice
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
15 fresh basil leaves, julienned
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
Parmesan cheese

Cook rigatoni in boiling salted water according to al dente. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a plate.

Using the same pan, cook the bacon just shy of crispy. Add onions and mushrooms and cook until onions are translucent. Increase heat to high and add chicken stock and apple juice. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and let cook for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and half of the basil; season with salt and pepper. Reduce to medium low heat and cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about 15 minutes.

Stir cream and remaining basil into the sauce. Add chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Stir to combine. Add rigatoni to and toss to combine. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve with additional cheese.

Recipe Swap Roundup - Special Occasion

2012-01-04T07:12:00.000-05:00

Every Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve I like to make a special meal, something we don't normally eat, to celebrate. I thought it would be nice to see what other people like for special occasions, hence the theme for this recipe swap.

Leanne had never heard of Mungo's but loved the at-home version of their famous Mungo's Salad:

Lishie is a big fan of over-easy eggs and she loved my recipe for Asparagus with Fried Egg and Pecorino:

Ashley brought her Hoisin Braised Short Ribs to her parent's house as a comfort food meal even her 3-year-old nephew enjoyed:

Mary Ellen loves making appetizers for Christmas Eve so her recipe for Sausage Balls was perfect (and delicious):

Jenna enjoyed her Horseradish Crusted Filets and would happily make it again for another special occasion:

Jaida's Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms were a hit at one of her holiday parties:

The Cookaholic Wife loved the combination of caramelized onions, cream and bleu cheese in her Filet with Onion-Bleu Cheese Sauce:

Jey's Steak Marsala was a delicious way for her and her husband to have a date night:

My recipe for Endive Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Walnuts was a big hit as a Christmas Day appetizer:

Coleen has never tasted or made Potato Pancakes before, but really enjoyed them:

Jessy's attempt at Cranberry Ricotta Gnocchi was a comedy of errors, but even so she and her husband enjoyed this slightly different dish:

Saying Goodbye

2011-12-31T18:58:00.004-05:00

Today was one of the hardest days of my life. Today we had to say goodbye to our cat, Dusty.

We got Dusty the day the war in Iraq started back in March 2003. That day we drove around to all the local shelters to see who was up for adoption. Dusty was an older cat, already seven years old, and obviously very unhappy at the shelter. He was sitting in his litter box, subdued where the other cats and kittens were hyperactive. No one was paying him much attention since he wasn't as "fun" as the other cats. But I knew he was the one when he nuzzled my hand while I was petting him. We signed the papers that day and brought him home. Even though I'd grown up with cats and dogs, Dusty was SP's first pet. He was so excited, buying him toys and a bed to sleep in that he never even set one paw in the entire time we owned it. He came to us with the name Doobie, but after spending a month hiding under our bed he was christened Dusty (for obvious reasons). After that the nicknames came easily - Dusty Springfield; Dusty Wusty Was a Bear, Dusty Wusty Had No Hair; Dustman.

Dusty was with us for every major life event, from getting engaged, to getting married, buying our first home and having Baby Girl. He would sleep at the foot of our bed, always hopping off like clockwork 15 minutes after we turned the lights off. He loved to chase string and the light from a flash light. We nicknamed him Doctor Dusty for how concerned he was when one of us was sick. He was always so low-maintenance that we could leave a bowl of food out and he'd just graze all day. He was never a lap cat, but he would sit next to me on the couch every night while we watched TV.

In the almost 9 years we had him we only had to take him to the vet for illness once. A few years ago he stopped eating and we were using a syringe to force-feed him baby food. He bounced right back like nothing had happened. He's always been a chunker, so when he started losing weight about a year ago we got concerned. The vet said we might be looking at the big C. We monitored him and over the last few weeks it became clear that something was definitely wrong. It all came to a head today when we noticed that he was having trouble walking, that his back legs just didn't seem capable of supporting him anymore.

We knew it wasn't good when they put us in the Comfort Room at the vet's office. A quick talk with the vet confirmed our fears. We had known it was coming, but hearing the words made it unbearable. I will forever be in debt to the amazing vet who took the time to talk with us, make us comfortable and who seemed genuinely upset about what was happening. At the end SP was holding Dusty while I pet his head and we said soothing words to him. Right before the sedative kicked in, Dusty looked at me and nuzzled my hand. In that moment we came full circle. It was one of the best and one of the worst moments of my life. I hope I never forget it.

Dusty, you were the best cat in the world. You were more than a cat - you were a friend. You will be missed for the rest of our lives and there will always be a hole in our heart and someone missing from our family. We are better for knowing you and we love you.

Rest in peace, my friend.

PS. I'm planning to take a small break from blogging. Life has been incredibly difficult lately and I need to focus on other things right now. It won't be a long break since I've got another recipe swap coming up in a few weeks and a roundup from the last one to put together. Thank you, as always, for reading.

Recipe Swap - Endive Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

2011-12-30T07:54:00.000-05:00

The holiday season means parties and special dinners for many people. We always have a special meal for dinner Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, so I thought a special occasion recipe swap would be perfect. The guidelines were for an appetizer, entree or side dish since we just did two dessert swaps in a row. I received a recipe for Endive Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Walnuts. My step-aunt always brings an antipasto platter to Christmas dinner and I thought these would be the perfect accompaniment.

I assembled these in the morning and kept them refrigerated until our guests arrived. They were incredibly easy to make since the only real cooking is making the sauce and that takes care of itself. My walnuts took 10 minutes in the toaster oven to get golden brown but definitely keep an eye on them.

I loved the presentation of the endive stuffed with all the delicious bits drizzled with the balsamic syrup. I've always been a fan of savory and sweet flavors together and these were the perfect blend of both. Everyone loved them. We only had three left and that was with them competing with the gorgeous antipasto platter. I will definitely make these again. Thanks for a delicious, easy recipe Leanne!

Endive Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Walnuts
Slightly Modified from Cooking Light, recommended by Around the Table

1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons honey, divided
Cooking spray
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons orange juice
16 Belgian endive leaves (about 2 heads)
2 ounces crumbled goat cheese
1 large can mandarin oranges in juice (about 16 slices)
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Combine walnuts and 1 tablespoon honey; spread on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes. Watch carefully so they don’t burn.

Combine 1 tablespoon honey, vinegar, and orange juice in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, and cook until reduced to 3 tablespoons (about 5 minutes).

Separate and wash endive leaves. Lay each leaf, cup side up, on a platter. Top each section with about 1 teaspoon goat cheese, one orange slice and 1 teaspoon walnuts. Drizzle the vinegar mixture evenly over leaves, and sprinkle evenly with chives and pepper.

Asian Turkey Burgers with Spicy Lime Mayo

2011-12-28T07:11:00.000-05:00

I can't remember the last time I made a burger. It must have been sometime over the summer. And as much as I love a good beef burger, I've come to realize that I'm a big fan of chicken or turkey burgers. The mild flavor of poultry makes it so much easier to add whatever flavors you like. This is a new phenomenon for me but I'm embracing it in these days of attempted weight loss.

I recently discovered How Sweet It Is and boy am I glad I did. She's got some truly delicious-sounding recipes that I'm dying to make. When I saw her post about these Asian Turkey Burgers with Spicy Lime Mayo I had to take her advice and add them to my weekly menu.

Head over to Jessica's blog for some drool-inducing photos. Mine are ehh, as usual. But don't let that deter you from making these immediately. I prepped the burgers in the morning before work and the smell alone was intoxicating. As far as I'm concerned you really can't go wrong with garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce and sesame. Add the delicious Spicy Limo Mayo and you've got one hell of a burger. Try these soon. You won't be disappointed.

Asian Turkey Burgers
How Sweet It Is

1 pound ground turkey breast
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
3 green onions, thinly chopped
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
4 burger buns
Lettuce and sliced tomato for serving

Combine all ingredients (except buns) in a large bowl and mix gently with your hands until just combined – do not overmix. Form turkey into 4 patties about 1/2 inch thick. Heat a skillet (in my case – a cast iron grill pan) over medium-high heat (or preheat your grill) and once hot, add burgers. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side.

Toast buns if desired, then top burgers with mayo and serve.

Spicy Lime Mayo

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (or more if desired)
Zest of half of a lime
Juice of half a lime

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth and combined.

SRC: Cheesy Spinach Farfalle

2011-12-26T08:00:00.008-05:00

It's hard for me to believe that this is already my third month participating in the Secret Recipe Club. Time sure does fly when you're busy.

This month I was given Enriching Your Kid, a blog written by a Clinical Psychologist turned homemaker after having kids. She says her goal is to prepare food that is nourishing as well as enticing for kids. She actually had my blog for the first month of the SRC and made my corn fritters.

A lot of the recipes on her blog are for Indian food, which I love but rarely make at home. I wanted to find something that didn't require specialty ingredients since we are on a budget, so I finally settled on Cheesy Spinach Farfalle, which is right up my family's alley.

I made a few modifications but overall kept the recipe the same. I subbed a can of diced tomatoes for fresh tomato because tomatoes aren't in season (plus I hate loose tomato skin on cooked tomatoes). Since she didn't specify a type of grated cheese I thought mozzarella would be nice. I also upped the amount of pasta to a full pound since this needed to feed us for dinner, lunches and a little leftover for Baby Girl and also upped the spinach, garlic and cheese. I only had one small onion but I found a leek in the fridge that needed to be used, so I combined the two. I also added in white wine for some extra flavor since I thought pasta water alone wouldn't be enough to make a flavorful sauce. To thicken the sauce I opted for cornstarch mixed with cold water, which resulted in a silky-smooth sauce without worrying about lumps.

Make sure to taste as you go and add salt and pepper as needed. I absolutely loved this, but then again I pretty much love any pasta dish with tomatoes and spinach. It's an easy meal to put together on a weeknight, which is another plus in my book, along with being vegetarian and healthy. Score!

Cheesy Spinach Farfalle
Modified from Enriching Your Kid

1 lb farfalle
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup white wine
1 6-ounce bag baby spinach, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook the farfalle according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pan. Add the onions and minced garlic, cooking until the onions are translucent and soft. Add the wine and allow to reduce slightly. Add the tomatoes with the juice and the chopped spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste and the Italian seasoning. Allow the spinach to wilt.

Combine cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Slowly add to the pan, stirring to combine. Add the reserved pasta water. Sprinkle in grated cheese and allow to melt into the sauce. Add the pasta, mix well and season with salt and pepper. Top with more shredded cheese if you like and serve hot.

White Cheddar Chicken Pasta

2011-12-23T07:18:00.001-05:00

In one of the "what's for dinner?" posts on Facebook recently my friend Carrie said she was making this White Cheddar Chicken Pasta. The name alone sold me but then I looked at the ingredients and knew I had to make it ASAP.

After Carrie made the recipe she recommended cooking the onions before making the sauce, so I took her advice. I also ended up adding some chicken broth because my sauce was too thick.

We both loved this meal. The sauce is wonderfully flavorful with the sharp cheddar and the spices. I left out the red pepper flakes in the original recipe because spicy food and I don't get along well anymore. The spices on the chicken were perfect and I bet this would be even better with grilled chicken. I can't wait to try that once the weather warms up. Or if I ever get a grill pan.

White Cheddar Chicken Pasta
Modified from Homemade by Holman

1 pound chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound rotini or other short cut pasta
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups milk
1 cup chicken stock
8 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Parmesan cheese to taste

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix together mustard, thyme, salt and pepper and sprinkle over chicken pieces. When pan is hot, add chicken and brown about 3 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover with foil.

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt butter and oil in the now-empty skillet you used to cook the chicken. Add garlic and onions and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Add wine and Dijon mustard. Cook about 5 minutes, then reduce heat to low and slowly add milk and chicken stock, stirring to combine. Cook about 5-7 minutes more until mixture begins to thicken. Add cheese, thyme and oregano and stir to melt cheese. Add chicken and pasta and toss to incorporate sauce. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Smothered Pork Medallions

2011-12-22T07:04:00.000-05:00

As the weather gets colder I am all about comfort food meals. I also love an excuse to make mashed potatoes. They're one of my favorite things and Baby Girl is taking after me in that regard. She will happily eat a big bowl full of them whenever I make them. When Melissa posted this recipe for Smothered Pork Medallions what drew me in was a new way to use pork and a sauce that included buttermilk, which I bought for Buttermilk Mac and Cheese and still had in my fridge waiting to be used up.

When shopping this week I realized I've never purchased pork tenderloin. How is that possible? Thankfully my supermarket had it on sale so it wasn't too expensive, but imagine my surprise when I discovered that what I thought was two tenderloins turned out to be four (the club pack came with two packages of pork, but each package contained two tenderloins). That's four meals for about $10. Awesome.

I was hesitant to use the full 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper to season the flour and I think that was a mistake. The dish was a little too sweet, probably from the onions. The extra cayenne would have helped mitigate that. Even so, this was delicious and we both cleaned our plates. You know SP is a sucker for anything with mushrooms in it. And it couldn't have been easier, which was nice for the Sunday when we decorated our Christmas tree.

Smothered Pork Medallions
Slightly Modified from I Was Born to Cook

3/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pork tenderloin, thinly sliced into medallions
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 package (10 ounces) mushrooms, sliced
2 medium onions, sliced
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup buttermilk
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Put the flour in a gallon food storage bag. Add garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add the medallions and shake to coat.

Heat oil in a large skillet and add pork in an even layer. Fry pork on each side until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add a little more oil to the pan, then add the mushrooms and onions. Season with a little salt and pepper and cook until the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated and the onions are soft, about 10-15 minutes. Add about 1 tablespoon of the seasoned flour to pan drippings. Mix together, then add chicken broth. Once liquid is reduced and slightly thickened, add buttermilk and stir.

Return pork to pan and cover in sauce. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until pork is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley to serve.

Skillet BBQ Chicken Pasta

2011-12-21T07:15:00.000-05:00

I love a good one-pot or skillet meal. There's something infinitely satisfying about being able to cook an entire meal, including the pasta, in one pan. Nicole raved about this Skillet BBQ Chicken Pasta recipe so on to the menu it went.

Don't tell SP, but since the recipe calls for only 12 ounces of penne I took this opportunity to try the Dreamfields pasta one of their reps sent me awhile back. I was really impressed. We weren't fans of the whole wheat spaghetti we tried a few months ago but this penne was great for being low carb. I wouldn't be sad if they wanted to send me more samples. Wink, wink.

Anyway, this was an easy meal to get on the table but I was a little underwhelmed. I had hoped the flavors of the BBQ sauce would be more pronounced. And despite using a nice, sharp cheddar cheese that flavor seemed to be masked by the mozzarella. I've made some changes to the recipe below. I'll definitely try it again because you can't beat the convenience of a one-pot meal.

Skillet BBQ Chicken Pasta
Slightly Modified from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, As Seen on Prevention RD

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
1 red onion, diced
3 cups water
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces penne pasta
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken and onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken and onions to a plate and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the water, chicken broth, penne and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the liquid is almost absorbed, the pasta is tender and the mixture is thick and syrupy. Stir in the barbecue sauce and sour cream. Once mixed, add in the reserved chicken, onions and shredded cheeses. Stir to combine and cook until everything is heated through.

Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with additional red or green onions and more shredded cheese.

Recipe Swap Roundup - Holiday Cookies/Treats

2011-12-20T07:42:00.007-05:00

Tis the season for baking. You all know by now that I'm not much of a baker, but I couldn't resist making Holiday Cookies/Treats one of the themes for the recipe swap. I know most of the time people make the same recipes every year, usually by request from hungry friends, family or coworkers, but every once in awhile it's nice to branch out.

Jaida loves mint and chocolate so she was thrilled to get Mint Oreo Fudge:

Melissa celebrated her blog's first birthday with these Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Jenna was hoping her White Chocolate Dipped Spice Cookies would bring back memories of her grandpa's favorite cookie, but they were a little too busy in the flavor department for her tastes:

Nicole had my Jam Thumbprint Cookies, which are my all-time favorite holiday cookie. Thankfully, she agreed:

Lishie loves baking and her recipe for Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies really hit the spot:

Jey's Caramel Chex Party Mix was the perfect mix of sweet, tasty and easy:

Ashley isn't a big fan of fudge but her sister loved the pretty colors in the Candy Cane Fudge:

Cathy's recipe was aptly named Christmas Crack (aka Saltine Toffee Bark):

The Cookaholic Wife is a big fan of chocolate and peanut butter so she loved her recipe for Peanut Butter Cups, even if she had to use a regular size muffin tin to make them:

Coleen had some minor issues with her Oatmeal Cookies, but they were still light, chewy and delicious:

Allison, a newcomer to the swaps, enjoyed her Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies, a spicy treat (especially for breakfast):

Katie made adorable Spoon Cookies filled with apricot preserves:

After making tons of cookies this holiday season Nicole was happy to do something different with Chocolate Dipped Pretzels:

I had a small issue with my Black Bottoms, so this is my pinch baker's photo:

Diana, a newcomer to the swap, doesn't have a blog but she did take pictures and write a review of her recipe for Pumpkin Seed Cranberry Biscotti:

I adapted this recipe from its original form – subbing out the cranberries and pumpkin seeds. Neither one of these items are liked in my household and with the base recipe the changes were easy to make. I have to say I was a little bit skeptical about making biscotti since I’d never made it before. This was a very easy recipe and I have to say with my minor substitutions this recipe came out delicious. My husband (who never really liked biscotti) likes these.

Pecan Chocolate Chip Biscotti Recipe
Adapted from Delish!

3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chocolate chips

In a small bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, oil and extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips (dough will be sticky).

With lightly floured hands, shape each portion into a 12-in. x 2-in. rectangle. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Carefully remove to wire racks; cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; cut diagonally with a serrated knife into 3/4-in. slices. Place cut side down on baking sheets.

Bake for 5 minutes or until firm. Turn and bake 5-10 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.

Pasta with Sausage, Beans, and Mascarpone

2011-12-19T07:01:00.001-05:00

If you've read this blog for any length of time you know that I have a weakness for cream sauces, especially in pasta dishes. I've seen this recipe for Orecchiette with Sausage, Beans, and Mascarpone floating around the blogosphere for awhile and figured it was time to see what all the fuss was about.

After looking at the ingredient list I knew my first task would be finding a substitute for mascarpone. I'm sure the stuff is great but I'd rather use ingredients that I already keep on hand then spend extra money for a specialty item. A quick Google search led me to this recipe at food.com. I really appreciated the tool to increase or decrease the serving size to adjust for different recipes. The original recipe yielded 10 ounces and I only needed 4 ounces or 1/2 cup. Easy peasy.

I subbed nugget pasta for the orecchiette simply because I had a box at home and, again, didn't want to spend the money for a specialty item when I had something else at home already. Next time pasta is on sale at my supermarket I plan to stock up on mini shells, so next time I'll use those. As the original blogger said, the crevice in the orecchiette/shells is perfect for cradling the sausage and beans, although the nuggets were fine in a pinch.

My only complaint about this dish was that there wasn't more sauce. I'm thinking about upping the amount of mascarpone ingredients next time to see if that helps. Otherwise this was outstanding, if a little spicy from the red pepper flakes. I've made them optional in the recipe below but if you like spice use them. I prefer my cream sauces mild, thankfyouverymuch.

If 1/2 pound of sausage seems like too little for 1 pound of pasta never fear; the beans more than make up for it. I wish I'd taken my own advice, though. I thought the pan seemed a little empty so I used a full pound of sausage and it overwhelmed the finished dish once everything else had been added. Next time I'll stick with a 1/2 pound.

Orecchiette with Sausage, Beans, and Mascarpone
Modified from Stirring the Pot

1 pound orecchiette or shell pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage, casing removed
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup Marsala wine (you can also use brandy, sherry or Madeira)
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 ounces cream cheese
1/8 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta reserving 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.

In a large, heavy skillet warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and onions. Using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage into bite-sized pieces as it browns. Continue cooking until the sausage is golden and the onions are tender. Add the garlic and stir, cooking about 1 minute until you can smell the garlic. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup Marsala wine, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the beans, oregano, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for 2 more minutes. Add 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid and stir. Add the cream cheese, heavy cream and sour cream and stir until it dissolves into a light sauce. Add the salt, pepper, and hot pasta. Stir until coated and serve.

Weekly Menu - Week of December 18, 2011

2011-12-18T09:22:00.002-05:00

Can you believe next weekend is Christmas? I knew this month would go fast but I wasn't prepared for how fast. Once again we are hosting Christmas dinner, one of my favorite meals of the year. I also look forward to our Christmas Eve dinner, which has become a tradition over the years. Lots of great meals coming up this weekend, but first we have to get through the week.

Sunday - Cheese ravioli, SP's Sunday sauce, Caesar salad

Monday - Cheesy farfalle with spinach and tomatoes, leftover Caesar salad

Tuesday - FFY

Wednesday - Pork Medallions in Balsamic Reduction, rice, green beans

Thursday - Asian turkey burgers with spicy limo mayo, sweet potato fries

Friday - Homemade pizza

Saturday - Asparagus with Fried Egg and Cheese, Baked Stuffed Shrimp, baked potatoes with butter and sour cream

Sunday - Breakfast: Christmas Morning Strata, pancakes, bacon. Dinner: Appetizer platter provided by my step-aunt, Endive Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Walnuts (recipe swap), Roast Beef Tenderloin, mashed potatoes, green beans with almonds, Yorkshire Pudding, Santa Hat Brownies, bread pudding with whiskey sauce and whipped cream

Recipe Swap - Black Bottoms

2011-12-16T07:04:00.000-05:00

The holiday season is in full swing and for many people that means doing a lot of baking. Many of my favorite food blogs have been posting recipes for cookies and other treats to make for holiday parties and gifts. I thought, what better theme for the swap then Holiday Cookies/Treats!

Since I'm the organizer for these swaps I tend to hold myself to a higher standard. I like to make my recipe early and allow myself plenty of time for any mishaps. I ask the participants to be conscientious so I need to do the same. Imagine my dismay when I realized the swap was due in a week and I had completely forgotten about it. There it was, late Sunday afternoon and I found myself with about an hour to get these Black Bottoms from Katie together. Thankfully I had 4 ounces of cream cheese left in the fridge from another recipe, but I was out of chocolate chips. With no time to run to the store and no chance to make them during the busy workweek, I forged ahead. Not being a baker, I didn't realize how vital the chocolate chips were going to be. I figured they were just an added bonus, but unfortunately my Black Bottoms weren't very good without them. Here is my photo of the Black Bottoms:

My friend Jaida has always said she'd be willing to fill in if someone had an issue with the swaps, so I asked for her help as a pinch baker. Being the great friend and baker that she is, she rose to the occasion. Here is her photo of the Black Bottoms:

And her comments about the little treats: "When the opportunity arose to try out these blackbottoms, I was excited because I love chocolate and I love cream cheese. Not to mention I love miniature-sized desserts! The cake part itself is not too sweet, but the cream cheese topping with the chocolate chips makes it just right!! And, a few of the chocolate chips sneak their way into the chocolate part and when you bite into one, there is a surprise center of melty chocolate – delish!! I refrigerated them overnight due to the cream cheese element, and brought them to work the following morning. I had barely made it through the door when a co-worker accosted me for the day’s baked goods and after one bite she declared, “Oh my God, these are delicious!” So, the verdict is in – these little treats are a winner!"

Katie, I promise to make these again once I pick up some chocolate chips. And a big thanks to Jaida for stepping in and helping a girl out. You rock.

Black Bottoms
So Tasty, So Yummy
Makes 48 miniature cupcakes/24 regular cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces cream cheese
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix first eight ingredients (through vanilla) together and set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, salt and sugar together. Stir the chocolate chips into the cream cheese mixture.

Line two muffin pans with paper liners. Divide chocolate batter evenly. Top evenly with the cream cheese mixture.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until set.

Southwestern Ranch Open-Faced Turkey Sandwiches

2011-12-15T07:58:00.001-05:00

I had planned to make these Southwestern Ranch Open-Faced Turkey Sandwiches with leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, but between sandwiches and soup we used it all up. I didn't want to miss out on these sandwiches so I bought deli turkey, which was just fine.

These are definitely a knife-and-fork sandwich, which disappointed SP. He was hoping for a traditional sandwich. Next time I'll use less ingredients per sandwich and maybe cook them panini-style. I'm also thinking about adding bacon (thanks for the idea, Cassie) and switching the avocado slices to guacamole or an avocado spread for easier eating. No matter how you assemble them, these are truly delicious.

Southwestern Ranch Open-Faced Turkey Sandwiches
Cassie Craves

6 slices sandwich bread
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
3/4 to 1 pound turkey, thinly sliced
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup shredded pepper jack or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 ripe avocados, sliced
Juice of 1 lime

Toast bread in toaster or under the broiler. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, combine ranch dressing mix, chili powder, and cumin. Stir in mayonnaise and sour cream.

Cover a baking sheet with tinfoil. Place bread on baking sheet and spread 1 tablespoon of the sauce on each slice. Top with sliced turkey and 1 more tablespoon of the sauce. Top with cheese and tomatoes.

Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted. Top each sandwich with sliced avocado and a spritz of lime juice.

Creamy Baked Fettuccine with Asiago and Thyme

2011-12-14T07:02:00.000-05:00

As soon as Maryanna posted her recipe for Creamy Baked Fettuccine with Asiago and Thyme in the recipe swap roundup I knew I had to make it ASAP. It sounded like a baked version of fettuccine alfredo and how could that be bad?

I apologize for the less than stellar photo (look at Maryanna's...it's much nicer).

This dish was exactly as I imagined it would be, except for my own stupidity. Instead of grating the cheeses using my microplane, which would have resulted in feathery-light cheese that would melt easily in the sauce, I grated my cheese on a box grater. I'm not sure what I was thinking. The result was clumps of unmelted cheese throughout the sauce. Not quite the silky, creamy concoction I'd planned. I've modified the recipe below to be more specific. As a friend told me, this just gives me an excuse to make it again, which I definitely will be doing soon.

Oh and for those wondering how the homemade creme fraiche turned out, it was perfect. I was really, really skeptical about leaving dairy out on the counter for 36 hours but it was fine. And I saved over $10 making my own. Score!

Creamy Baked Fettuccine with Asiago and Thyme
Taste and See

1 pound fettuccine pasta
2 cups grated Asiago cheese, plus 1/4 cup (grated using a microplane)
2 (8-ounce) containers creme fraiche (or make your own, recipe below)
1 cup grated Parmesan (grated using a microplane)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375-degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.

In a large bowl, combine the 2 cups Asiago, creme fraiche, Parmesan, thyme, salt, pepper, cooked pasta, and pasta cooking liquid. Gently toss until all the ingredients are combined and the pasta is coated.

Place the pasta in a buttered baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Asiago cheese. Bake until golden on top, about 25 minutes. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, and serve.

Creme Fraiche
2 tablespoons buttermilk, room temp
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Heat heavy whipping cream over very low heat until it reaches body temperature (not to exceed 100-degrees F). Remove from heat and pour into a glass bowl or jar. Add buttermilk, and give it a couple of stirs. Seal the bowl with plastic wrap or jar with a lid, and let it sit in a warm place (about 70-degrees) for 12 to 36 hours until it thickens.

Stir the thickened creme fraiche and store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Note - If using for the above recipe, double the amount of buttermilk and heavy cream.

Cheese Ravioli with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage

2011-12-13T05:52:00.000-05:00

Melissa recently shared this recipe for Cheese Ravioli with Broccoli Rabe and Pancetta as a fast, easy weeknight meal. I was looking for something simple to make the night before Thanksgiving and thought I'd give it a try.

I adapted the recipe to include sausage instead of pancetta since I had some in the freezer that needed to be used up. I also blanched the broccoli rabe before adding it to the skillet to remove some of the bitterness. I loved the simplicity of this meal but SP tends to like pasta dishes with sauce and this didn't really have one. Even so, I'll make this again and just tweak the amount of oil and cheese to make a sauce.

Ravioli with Broccoli Rabe & Sausage
Adapted from I Was Born to Cook

1 bag cheese ravioli
1 bunch broccoli rabe, ends trimmed
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more if you like it spicy)
1/2 lb Italian sausage, casing removed
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated pecorino romano cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous sprinkling of salt. Cook ravioli according to package directions. Remove ravioli with a strainer to a bowl. Bring water back to a boil. Chop broccoli rabe into large pieces and add to boiling water. Cook 5 minutes, then drain.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Crumble sausage into skillet and cook until no longer pink. Add garlic and crushed red pepper, stirring constantly. Add broccoli rabe and heat through. Turn heat down to low, then add ravioli to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything together until ravioli are coated with all ingredients. Add cheese, toss quickly and serve.

Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Ranch Dressing

2011-12-12T05:48:00.004-05:00

I've decided the way to successfully use my crockpot is to only cook with it when I'm home to monitor it. Yes, I realize this defeats the overall purpose of the crockpot, but until I feel like shelling out money for a new one this has become my only feasible option to prevent burnt food. Since I didn't want to miss out on this recipe for Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Ranch Dressing, I made it on a Sunday. It was perfect because I didn't really have to do anything except keep an eye on it and flip the meat over a few times so the side that wasn't completely submerged in the liquid didn't dry out.

With all the Thanksgiving leftovers taking up space in my fridge I couldn't fit the crockpot insert in there as well, so I double-bagged two galloon freezer bags and put them into a Corningware dish to sit in the fridge overnight. I was a little skeptical of the three cans of Coke, but all it added was a nice sweetness. The pork is definitely sweet, but the tanginess from the cilantro ranch dressing helps offset it.

I served my tacos with shredded cheddar and pepper Jack cheeses, with some extra sprigs of cilantro as a garnish. Absolutely delicious and even better the next day. This made a lot of food so I froze about half of it for another time. I'm thinking about making quesadillas with the leftovers - melty cheese, the sweet meat and maybe some tomatoes for freshness, all dipped in the delicious sauce. Yum!

Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Ranch Dressing
Cassie Craves

For the pork:
2 to 3 pound pork roast
3 cans Coca-Cola
1 cup brown sugar
2 cloves garlic
1 can diced green chilies
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 packet taco seasoning

For the dressing:
1 cup salsa verde
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1/3 cup cilantro
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup sugar

Tortillas and shredded cheese for serving

The night before you want to serve, place pork in the bottom of a slow cooker. Mix together all other ingredients for the pork and pour over the roast. Cover the slow cooker and refrigerate overnight.

Cook pork mixture on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the pork shreds easily with a fork. Remove pork from crockpot and shred. Spoon some of the cooking liquid onto the shredded pork to moisten it.

Blend all dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender. Serve drizzled over pork.

Weekly Menu - Week of December 11, 2011

2011-12-11T18:09:00.003-05:00

Only a few more weeks until 2012. Can you believe it? I can't. Every year seems to go by faster than the last. I'll be celebrating another birthday in less than a month and that doesn't seem possible either.

Sunday - Cheeseburger meatloaf muffins, mashed potatoes and broccoli - I've made cheeseburger meatloaf before but never in muffin form. This is mostly for lunch on Monday since we had a late lunch at a birthday party.

Monday - White cheddar chicken pasta and side salads - My friend Carrie posted on Facebook that she was making this recipe and I couldn't wait to get it on my menu.

Tuesday - FFY

Wednesday - Honey Dijon salmon over arugula, roasted potatoes - I love the idea of honey and Dijon with salmon, especially when it's served on a bed of arugula.

Thursday - My company's holiday Christmas party

Friday - Pretzel Ranch chicken tenders, stovetop mac and cheese - Cassie said these were a big hit with her boys so I'm hoping the same holds true for Baby Girl. And what better to serve them with then mac and cheese.

Thanksgiving Recipes: Whiskey-Glazed Carrots

2011-12-09T06:11:00.000-05:00

I made these Whiskey-Glazed Carrots last year for Thanksgiving but for some reason I didn't blog about them beyond the standard Thanksgiving recap. Big mistake. These carrots need their own post so I can rave about them. UPDATE - I made them again for Thanksgiving 2011 and took a much better photo.

These are AMAZING. The whiskey, brown sugar and butter make the most delicious glaze I've ever tasted. I serve these with roasted chicken and love dipping pieces of chicken into the extra glaze. I cut down on the amount of butter and sugar from the original recipe, but that doesn't make these healthy by any means. SP always jokes that I've managed to make carrots bad for you.

Whiskey-Glazed Carrots
Slightly Modified from Pioneer Woman

4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into thick circles
1/2 cup Jack Daniels Whiskey
3/4 cup brown sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped chives, optional garnish

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add carrots and cook about 2 minutes until they start to brown in spot.

Pour in whiskey and allow to evaporate 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium, and add remaining butter. When butter melts, sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Stir together to coat the carrots.

Cook about 15-20 minutes more, stirring often, so the sauce thickens into a glaze and the carrots cook through. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour onto a platter and serve immediately. Sprinkle with chopped chives if desired.

Thanksgiving Recipes: Creamed Onions with Thyme and Sage

2011-12-08T06:34:00.000-05:00

You probably know by now that I'm a sucker for anything in a cream sauce. So what's not to love about creamed onions? These Creamed Onions with Thyme and Sage are so simple to make but pack great flavor.

Since I use frozen pearl onions these require next to no effort. The most time-consuming part is chopping the herbs. And the recipe gets bonus points for being make-ahead friendly.

Creamed Onions with Thyme and Sage
Adapted from Food and Wine

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bag frozen pearl onions
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped sage
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Salt

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 30 minutes. Add the thyme, sage, nutmeg and white pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, transfer to a bowl and serve.

Make Ahead - The onions can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat gently.

Thanksgiving Recipes: Thanksgiving Stuffing

2011-12-07T06:32:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, stuffing is not my favorite Thanksgiving side dish. Why fill up on carbs when there's turkey and veggies to eat? Even so, I know most people love it and I needed a great recipe for my first year hosting. My friend Melissa recommended this Thanksgiving Stuffing recipe from the Pioneer Woman.

Unfortunately my supermarket was out of cornbread so I had to make this with just hearty white bread. I think the cornbread would have added a whole other dimension to this stuffing and next year I'll either make my own or go out of my way to buy some. This was good, but I can only imagine how much better it'll be with the cornbread.

Thanksgiving Stuffing
Adapted from Pioneer Woman

2 loaves hearty bread
1 stick butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups celery, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons (to 3 Teaspoons) fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Chop bread into 1-inch cubes. Spread them out on two baking sheets and let them dry for approximately 24 hours.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add butter. When it’s melted add the onion and celery and cook for a few minutes until onions are almost translucent. While it’s cooking chop up any fresh herbs you will be using.

Add 4 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of basil, 1/2 teaspoon of thyme, a few teaspoons of fresh chopped rosemary and 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley. Stir until combined.

Place dried bread cubes into a large bowl. Gradually ladle the broth mixture into the bread, tossing lightly as you go. Keep gradually adding the broth mixture, tasting as you go and adding more seasoning and herbs if needed. Add salt carefully. You don’t want to over-salt your stuffing. If the mixture is not quite moist enough add a bit more chicken broth and stir.

Butter a large baking dish. Add stuffing and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Make Ahead - The bread should be air-dried at least 24 hours ahead so it has plenty of time to stale. Cook the veggies the night before and put the stuffing in a greased baking dish, covered with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge. Moisten with additional chicken stock before baking.

Weekly Menu- Week of December 4, 2011

2011-12-06T07:10:00.001-05:00

Now that December is here I feel like we're on a downward slide to Hanukkah, Christmas and celebrating the New Year. It may only be early December now but before we know it we'll be opening presents and ringing in 2012. In fact, we bought our Christmas tree over the weekend and decorated it Sunday night. I love that warm glow in the living room.

Like most people this time of year, our weekends are quickly filling up with errands and parties or events. Add working full time and keeping a curious toddler from destroying the Christmas tree and I am one tired cook. I'm trying to keep our menus simple and make at least one meal at week that requires very little effort in order to maintain my sanity.

Sunday - Smothered Pork Medallions, mashed potatoes, green beans - In my quest to find good pork recipes, this one from my friend Melissa sounded easy, delicious and a great way to use up some the buttermilk I still have lurking in my fridge.

Monday - Cheese ravioli, sauce and garlic bread

Tuesday - FFY

Wednesday - Orecchiette with Sausage, Beans, and Mascarpone - I'm really excited for this recipe because of the creamy factor. I'm actually going to make my own mascarpone using ingredients I always keep on hand instead of buying the expensive stuff.

Thursday - Skillet BBQ Chicken Pasta - I won't be going as healthy as Nicole with the whole wheat pasta and low-fat everything, but the original recipe sounds right up our alley.

Friday - Homemade pizza

Recipe Swap Roundup - Thanksgiving Desserts

2011-12-05T06:53:00.000-05:00

With Thanksgiving falling right in the middle of the two weeks participants have to make their recipe for the swap I thought a theme of Thanksgiving Desserts would be perfect. Pumpkin pie might be the traditional sweet treat, but judging from these recipes below it certainly isn't the end-all, be-all of Thanksgiving desserts. Check out the recipes below and see if one catches your eye for next year's feast.

Melissa was worried her recipe for Pumpkin Roulade with Buttercream would be difficult to make, but it was actually easy and delicious:

Patrizia, a newcomer to the swaps, really enjoyed her recipe for Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, despite her initial hesitancy about the "fall" flavors:

Chrissy loves anything with white chocolate in it, so her Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies were a big hit:

Ashley really stepped out of her comfort zone with Triple Chocolate Cheesecake, which was a big hit with her husband and family:

Nicole's Caramel Appledoodles were so good they solicited a marriage proposal:

My stepdad went back for seconds of these Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes, which is a testament to how good they were:

Jaida was happy to break away from the pumpkin craze she's been on with Nantucket Cranberry Pie:

Ellie's Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Squares were perfectly moist and utterly delicious:

Jenna modified my recipe for Butterscotch Pumpkin Cupcakes and they were a big hit:

Lishie had a lighter holiday dessert, Meringue Nests, that were melt-in-your-mouth delicious:

The Cookaholic Wife doesn't have good luck with layer cakes, but that didn't stop her from enjoying her Vermont Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, with two layers instead of four:

Coleen wasn't able to make her recipe for No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake for Thanksgiving as planned because her son decided to arrive two weeks early (congrats!!):

Nicole loves baking bar treats so she loved her recipe for Pumpkin S'mores Bars:

Christine's Cranberry White Chocolate Almond Cookies were devoured by her hungry relatives:

Jey's Chocolate Hazelnut Tart was a huge hit at Thanksgiving dinner:

Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

2011-12-03T05:50:00.004-05:00

I don't usually post over the weekend but sometimes things come up.

I "know" Annie through my cooking board. While I've never met her in person, when I heard that on Thanksgiving she lost her father suddenly I felt so sad for her and her family. Instead of sharing a delicious meal, she and her loved ones grieved.

The ladies on the cooking board got together and came up with a plan to dedicate comfort food posts to Annie, to help with her healing. What could be more comforting than a big bowl of Classic Chicken Noodle Soup? I made this with the last of my Thanksgiving turkey and even Baby Girl liked it.

Annie, you and your family are in my thoughts.

Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
Slightly Modified from Smells Like Home

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup medium-diced celery (2 stalks)
1 cup medium-diced carrots (3 carrots)
1 cup medium-dice onion (1 medium onion)
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 quarts chicken/turkey stock
2 cups wide egg noodles
2-3 cups cooked shredded chicken (or turkey)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrots, onions, salt, and pepper and cook for 10-12 minutes until softened. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil over high heat, and add the noodles. Cook the noodles for 10 minutes, then add the chicken (or turkey) and parsley. Allow the chicken/turkey to heat through. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve hot.

Recipe Swap: Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

2011-12-02T06:58:00.002-05:00

In honor of Thanksgiving I thought a Thanksgiving Dessert recipe swap would be a great way for people to bring something new to the holiday table. This was the first year that I hosted Thanksgiving dinner so I was happy to have one part of the meal decided for me, especially when I ended up receiving Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes from The Cookaholic Wife. I love cheesecake and I love pumpkin, so combining the two was perfect.

In my family dessert is usually secondary to the turkey with all the trimmings. In the past my mom would make a pumpkin pie, but by the time we got to dessert everyone was so stuffed we'd just have a small taste. Since these cupcakes are individual portions it worked out well.

We all know I'm not a baker, but these were very easy to assemble (I did it the night before because they had to chill for at least 4 hours). The recipe says it will make 24 cupcakes, but I ended up with batter leftover, enough for probably another 2-3 cupcakes. And I even thought I had overfilled the tins, so this is fair warning that you might get more than 24 cupcakes out of this recipe.

You know something is a hit when my stepdad goes back for seconds. He rarely eats dessert but he had two of these cupcakes and took more home with the rest of the leftovers. Everyone else thought they were delicious and really liked the pumpkin swirl in the center instead of the entire cheesecake being pumpkin-flavored. I thought the filling was a tad too sweet so I cut down the sugar in the recipe below. I will definitely make these again. Thanks, Cookaholic Wife!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes
Very Slightly Modified from The Cookaholic Wife

Pumpkin Mixture:
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
3 teaspoon sour cream
1/3 cup sugar

Filling:
2 8 oz. bricks cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Crust:
1 package graham crackers, plus 2 crackers
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons sugar

Preheat the oven to 325. Line cupcake pans with liners. You might end up with more than enough batter for 24 cupcakes, so if you have an extra cupcake tin be prepared to use it.

Use a food processor to grind up the graham crackers. Melt the butter. Add the sugar and butter to the graham cracker crumbs. Stir to combine. Put 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture into each cupcake liner. Use a glass to press down. Bake for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Using the paddle attachment in a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy. Add the sugar and mix until smooth. Add the vanilla and the salt. Next, add the eggs one at a time making sure that they are fully combined before adding the next one. Scoop approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture into each of the cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar and sour cream. Stir until well combined. Scoop approximately 1 tsp. of the pumpkin mixture into the center of the cheesecake. Swirl with a toothpick.

Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the pans half way through. Let the cupcakes cool to room temperature on cooling racks, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours.

Thanksgiving Recipes: Yam Gratin with Gruyere

2011-12-01T06:26:00.005-05:00

The weekend before Thanksgiving my supermarket was giving out a ton of free samples. As I was standing at the green bean bin picking through the beans, I listened to the woman handing out samples of a Yam Gratin with Gruyere. She touted it as being simple (only 4 ingredients, including salt) and a nice change from the traditional sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping. Of course I got a sample and after one bite I knew I had to change my plans and add it to our menu.

The store was selling pre-sliced yams, but since I'd already gotten my own yams to roast I just sliced them myself. Make sure to cut the slices to an even thinness so the gratin cooks through completely. I had a few rogue pieces that were a little crunchy. This was absolutely amazing and so simple. I will definitely make this again (although cut in half since this made a ton of food), whenever I roast a chicken this winter.

Yam Gratin with Gruyere
Wegmans

2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 lbs yams/sweet potatoes, peeled
3/4 cup shredded gruyere

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place baking dish on baking sheet.

Stir together heavy cream and salt in large bowl. Thinly slice sweet potatoes using either a mandoline or a sharp knife. Add to bowl with the heavy cream and salt.

Layer 1/3 of yams in baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat with another 1/3 of yams and the remainder of cheese. Top with remaining yams. Pour any remaining yam-cream mixture over top.

Bake uncovered on center rack of oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and press a spatula, carefully, against the top layer to allow liquid to flow over the "crust." Replace pan in oven and bake an additional 30 minutes. Remove pan, press top layer and replace pan in oven. Bake for another 40-45 minutes or until yams are tender. Remove from oven, let rest 15 minutes, then serve.

Make Ahead - The sweet potatoes can be sliced and stored in a plastic food storage bag up to 2 days in advance. The gratin can be assembled the night before baking, covered with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge.

Quick Barbecue Pork Chops

2011-11-30T07:49:00.000-05:00

I recently confessed to having a tough time with pork chops. I asked the ladies on my cooking board for recommendations and this Quick Barbecue Pork Chops was one that immediately caught my eye. What could be easier than browning chops and then letting them simmer on the stove with BBQ sauce and a little brown sugar?

I think this recipe hinges on the sauce you use. When it comes to BBQ sauce everyone has their own preference, with tangy vs. sweet being the biggest divider. We are tangy fans and after a lot (and I do mean a lot. I think we tried every brand our store sells) of searching we found that Dinosaur is our favorite. Homemade sauce would obviously be great as well.

I served my chops with Buttermilk Mac and Cheese and green beans, but if you're making these in the summer I suggest potato salad and fresh corn on the cob. We both enjoyed the flavor of the chops and I enjoyed not having to work very hard to make them. I'll definitely be using this method again.

Quick Barbecue Pork Chops
Get Off Your Butt and Bake

2 tablespoons canola oil
4 boneless pork chops
1 1/2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper on both side, then add to skillet. Let brown, about 5 minutes per side, turning only once. Add BBQ sauce, bring to a simmer, then turn heat down to maintain a light simmer. Sprinkle in brown sugar and 3 tablespoons of water. Mix the sauce, water and brown sugar together by moving the pork chops around a bit.

Let simmer slowly for about 20 minutes or until chops are tender.

Buttermilk Mac and Cheese

2011-11-29T07:44:00.000-05:00

If you've been reading this blog for a long time you might remember my quest to find the perfect mac and cheese recipe. This was years ago and I was on the hunt for a recipe that reminded me of the mac and cheese they served at my college. It was so creamy and cheesy that I would stalk the online menu to see when it would be making an appearance in the dining hall. After many failed attempts to recreate it I finally found my perfect mac and cheese. I use this recipe 9 out of 10 times I make mac and cheese. But every once in awhile I like to try something new, just for variety. Enter this recipe for Buttermilk Mac and Cheese from Cassie.

I've never made a mac and cheese with eggs before, so right off the bat I was pretty skeptical. The preparation reminded me of making a strata or make-ahead breakfast casserole and the end result had a similar texture, with a consistency like cottage cheese instead of being smooth and creamy. SP was initially skeptical as well but went back for seconds, as did I. While it certainly tasted good and couldn't have been easier to make, I think I'll stick with my tried-and-true version. I just love that smooth, creamy, cheesy sauce.

Buttermilk Macaroni and Cheese
Cassie Craves

6 eggs
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Colby cheese
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions and drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the cheese, buttermilk, butter, salt and pepper. Add macaroni; toss to coat.

Pour into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the middle comes out clean.

Secret Recipe Club: Tuscan Garlic Chicken

2011-11-28T08:00:00.008-05:00

For Round Two of the Secret Recipe Club I was assigned Fried Ice and Donut Holes, a blog written by Melissa, who is a teacher by day and cook/baker by night. She is a frequent participant in the recipe swaps I host, so I was very excited to take a closer look at her blog as part of SRC.

It's a huge understatement to say I had a tough time picking a recipe to make. I had written down 20 choices before I got through the last six months of recipes. Melissa and I have similar tastes when it comes to cooking, which made narrowing the choice down even harder. In the end I decided to make a recipe I've been seeing on a few of my favorite blogs lately - Tuscan Garlic Chicken. It has everything I like in a recipe - cream sauce (not healthy, but this one is mostly milk), chicken, spinach and pasta. I couldn't wait to make it.

When I put the plate in front of him, SP said it looked like something you'd get at a restaurant. I really enjoyed this, but we both felt the cream sauce was a little too light. I know we're both spoiled by unhealthy sauces made with heavy cream or even half and half, so next time I'll make this one with a bit more of an even split between milk and half and half for some extra body. I think it needs more garlic because I found myself wanting that flavor to come through a bit more. I think I'd like it more with tomatoes instead of red pepper, just because I'm not a big fan of peppers. Otherwise it was a great dish. I've made my changes in the recipe below.

Tuscan Garlic Chicken
Very Slightly Modified from Fried Ice and Donut Holes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
5-7 cloves garlic, grated
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
6 oz fresh spinach
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup milk
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
1 lb spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a shallow pie plate or similar dish, combine the flour, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Dip each chicken piece in the flour mixture until both sides are well coated.

In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until the oil is hot and shimmering. Carefully place the chicken breasts in the pan, cooking them for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they are golden and browned but not cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken to a foil-lined, lightly greased baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside and tent with foil until ready to use.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles, cooking until al dente. Also, wipe out the skillet with a couple paper towels and return it to medium heat, adding the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and bell pepper, sauteing for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in one tablespoon flour and stir constantly while cooking for another minute. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and bring the mixture to a low simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. In a small liquid measure, whisk together the cornstarch and cream. Add the spinach, milk and cream mixture to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted and sauce is slightly thickened, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

When the pasta has finished cooking, drain and return it to the pot. Toss the pasta with half of the cheese sauce. Place some of the coated pasta on each plate. Top with a breaded chicken breast and spoon some of the sauce over the top of the chicken and pasta. Serve immediately.

Weekly Menu - Week of November 27, 2011

2011-11-27T10:45:00.004-05:00

How in the world did we get to the end of November already? Weren't we just talking about Halloween and now Thanksgiving is already come and gone? Speaking of Thanksgiving, I hope everyone had a great holiday. I have a ton of Thanksgiving posts to write and I can't wait to share our delicious meal with you.

This week I'm using up some of the leftovers, revisiting an old favorite and trying a new dish from the recent One Pot recipe swap.

Sunday - Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Ranch Dressing - I'm going to give my crockpot another chance with this recipe from Cassie, who never steers me wrong.

Monday - Southwestern Ranch Open Faced Turkey Sandwiches, chips - Another recipe from Cassie. I was planning to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey but we've eaten it all or used it in other recipes.

Tuesday - FFY. For lunch the next day we'll be having Classic Chicken (Turkey) Noodle Soup I made with the last of the Thanksgiving turkey.

Wednesday - Creamy Baked Fettuccine with Asiago and Thyme, side salads - There were a lot of recipes from the recent One Pot swap I want to make, but this one looked so amazing I had to put it on the menu immediately. I'm a sucker for anything with a cheesy cream sauce and I had leftover buttermilk and heavy cream from recent meals to make my own creme fraiche.

Thursday - Skillet Beef Stroganoff - SP requested this meal, which is one of his favorites.

Friday - Homemade Pizza

Beef Goulash

2011-11-25T06:51:00.000-05:00

These days I love any recipe that involves browning meat and veggies and allowing them to either slowly simmer on the stove or continue cooking in the oven. When I saw this recipe for Beef Goulash on my friend Melissa's blog I knew it would be perfect for a cool fall evening.

I had this on the menu for a recent Sunday, but didn't end up eating it until lunch the next day. We had a crazy busy day with a birthday party and a baptism, plus we ate a ton of great Italian food at the reception following the baptism. When dinnertime rolled around we weren't hungry, although SP did have a quick taste and pronounced it delicious.

It might not sound like a lot of food, but this is a rich dish. I was worried when I saw how much the beef had cooked down, but a little goes a long way. The original recipe called for only 3/4 cup beef broth, but after an hour my pot was looking very dry so I added another cup. I would recommend using a full can of diced tomatoes (15 ounces) and 1 cup beef broth, then checking after an hour and adding another cup of beef broth if necessary. I also found that my large Le Crueset Dutch oven was way too big for this meal. Unfortunately I don't have anything smaller but if you do, I recommend a smaller Dutch oven. Or just double the recipe and freeze half for another time.

Beef Goulash
Slightly Modified from I Was Born to Cook

1 1/4 pounds chuck roast, excess fat trimmed, cut into large cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons flour
2 cups beef broth, divided
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
Sour cream for topping

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat oil in a oven safe casserole dish and add beef, cooking until brown. Add onions and garlic, and cook until onions are transparent. Add paprika and stir.

Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Dissolve flour in 1 cup beef broth and add to pot. Add thyme, then salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, stirring often.

Cover tightly and place in oven. Cook for 1 hour. After an hour, if the mixture looks dry, add another 1 cup beef broth. Cover and cook an additional hour. Serve with egg noodles and a dollop of sour cream.

Serves 3.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T07:19:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving from The Home Cook, SP and Baby Girl. We hope everyone has a happy, healthy and delicious Thanksgiving!

Double Crunch Honey Garlic Pork Chops

2011-11-23T06:13:00.000-05:00

Boneless pork chops are my albatross. I just can't seem to find a good, healthy recipe for them. Since they're boneless I'm always afraid of overcooking them since pork can go from moist to dry in a matter of seconds. This recipe for Double Crunch Honey Garlic Pork Chops caught my eye, and even though it's a far cry from healthy I thought I'd give it a shot.

SP took one look at the crunchy chops draining on the wire rack and immediately said he'd be having two for dinner. Then I dipped them in the sauce and he was even more smitten. Unfortunately there was something off and slightly burnt-tasting once we dug in. I think it might have been the fact that I used grated, fresh ginger instead of dried, ground ginger in the seasoning for the flour since I didn't have any dried on hand. We ended up scraping off the coating and eating the chops plain. A huge disappointment for sure. SP wants me to try these again so I better pick up ground ginger at the store.

Double Crunch Honey Garlic Pork Chops
This Woman Cooks!

4 boneless pork chops
1 cup flour
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 eggs
Canola oil

Sift together flour and spices in a shallow bowl or pie plte. Beat eggs in another pie plate or shallow bowl.

Dip each pork chop in the flour and spice mixture, then into the egg and then back into the flour and spice mix, pressing the mix into the chop to get good contact.

Heat a skillet on the stove with about a half inch of canola oil covering the bottom. You will want to carefully regulate the temperature (medium) here so that the chops do not brown too quickly on the outside before they are fully cooked on the inside. Fry them for about 5-8 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Cut into one chop to make sure it is fully cooked.

Drain on a wire rack for a couple of minutes before dipping the cooked chops into the sauce. Serve with noodles or rice.

Honey Garlic Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
3–4 cloves minced garlic
1 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a medium sauce pan add olive oil and garlic. Cook over medium heat to soften the garlic but don't let it brown. Add the honey, soy sauce, and black pepper. Simmer together for 5-10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Watch this carefully as it simmers because it can foam up over the pot very easily.

Recipe Swap Roundup - One Pot Meals

2011-11-22T07:15:00.016-05:00

The theme for this recipe swap was One Pot Meals. Sometimes I love nothing more then spending the day in the kitchen making complicated meals for my family. And sometimes, especially after a busy day at work, all I want is to get a delicious (and hopefully healthy) meal on the table. My hope is that the One Pot Meals below will help you out on one of those days where you don't really feel like cooking but don't want take-out either.

Mary Ellen loved the idea of her Beer Braised Sausages with Warm Potato Salad as a perfect cold-weather meal:

Jenna used to hate stuffed peppers, but her tastes recently changed and she was excited to find a great go-to recipe for them. Her Stuffed Peppers recipe for the swap was perfect, especially since it doesn't call for tomato sauce:

Melissa loves anything buffalo-flavored so she was excited for her Buffalo Chicken Chili:

Ashley felt her recipe for Dutch Oven Beef and Noodle Casserole needed a little something to make the flavors pop:

Rachel had my recipe for Pot Roast, although she had a brain lapse and bought cut-up chuck instead of a roast. She still enjoyed the dish, which ended up being closer to stew:

Melissa was happy for an excuse to eat a meal that contains beans, which her husband doesn't like. Her recipe for Turkey & Black Bean Chili was a big hit with her:

Christen was happy her Crockpot Chicken White Bean Pumpkin Chili was a "skinny" recipe:

Katie loved the smell of the sauce simmering all day for her Crockpot Spaghetti and Meatballs, a meal that her whole family loved:

Nicole's recipe for Crockpot Pork and Butternut Squash Stew was a real winner, not only delicious was a real bang for your buck calorie and money-wise:

My recipe for Scalloped Potatoes and Ham was comfort food at its best:

One Pot meals are not something the Cookaholic Wife often makes, but her recipe for
Pierogi and Kielbasa Bake was easy and delicious:

Elisha had a few hiccups while making her Half-Hour Chicken Gumbo, but the result was still yummy:

Christine had been planning to make Cheesy Chili Mac sometime soon, so she was thrilled when it was her recipe for the swap:

Jaida's recipe for Latin-Style Chicken and Rice combined two of her favorites - chicken and rice - for a quick weeknight meal:

Ellie had to invite family over to finish her Lentil, Kielbasa and Garlic Stew, but it was a hit with everyone who tried it:

Maryanna had been in a cooking rut before falling in love with her recipe for Creamy Baked Fettuccine with Asiago and Thyme:

Jey loved only having to wash one bowl and a saucepan for her Couscous Stuffed Peppers, which were absolutely delicious:

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

2011-11-21T06:10:00.000-05:00

I'm always on the lookout for new main course salads, so when my friend Jessy posted this one for Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad I immediately added it to my weekly menu.

I ended up bringing this into work for lunch instead of eating it at home. Now that I'm taking a weekly exercise class we end up doing FFY (Fend For Yourself) one night a week and my plan had been to eat this when I got home, but SP got me a sandwich instead. I chopped everything the night before and kept the veggies and chicken separate from the lettuce and the dressing, combining everything in the bowl at the last minute.

I think I need to admit to myself that I'm just not a chipotle fan. Or maybe I am but in very small doses. I dipped a piece of lettuce into the dressing before putting it on the whole salad and it was overwhelmingly chiptole flavored, which is great if you love the flavor and not so great if you're like me. Combined with the lettuce, chicken and veggies the flavor is more muted but I found myself wishing for good old Ranch dressing instead. Even so, I cleaned my plate. I love a good salad, especially if it includes avocado. Couldn't let that go to waste.

The only real change I made from Jessy's recipe was to omit the black beans and sub Mexicorn for the regular corn. I bought two cans (and only needed one) when I made the BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad and really dug the bits of peppers mixed in with the corn.

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad
Gourmet Day to Day

Dressing:
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad:
4 cups shredded romaine (or spring mix) lettuce
2 cups chopped roasted skinless chicken
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 diced peeled avocado
1/3 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (I omitted but add them in if you like beans)
1 can Mexicorn, rinsed and drained

To prepare dressing, combine first 7 ingredients, stirring well.

To prepare salad, combine lettuce and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Weekly Menu - Week of November 20, 2011

2011-11-20T07:23:00.003-05:00

Thanksgiving week is finally here! I'm so excited for this meal. I've got a good blend of new recipes and old favorites. I wouldn't have expected it, but I'm also incredibly excited for the meal plan I've got for the rest of the week. Lots of comfort food as the perfect lead up to the big event on Thursday.

Sunday - Beef Goulash over egg noodles - We have a very busy day so I wanted something for dinner that I could throw into the pot and forget about. This sounds like the perfect recipe for a Sunday afternoon.

Monday - Quick Barbecue Pork Chops, Buttermilk Mac and Cheese, green beans - I've been on the hunt for a great, easy weeknight pork chop recipe and I'm hoping this is it. Cassie raved about this mac and cheese, which sounded like it would be perfect with the chops.

Tuesday - FFY

Wednesday - Cheese Ravioli with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage - Since we've got a lot of cooking to do for the big day I thought an easy dinner was perfect. I decided to use some Italian sausage we have in the freezer instead of the pancetta.

Thursday - Thanksgiving Dinner!

Salted Herbed Roast Turkey Breasts - We bought two turkey breasts instead of a large turkey so we could focus on making the white meat super moist.

Stuffing - My supermarket was out of cornbread so I'm just doing two loaves of regular bread instead.

Mashed Potatoes - Yukon golds mashed with plenty of butter, milk, salt and pepper.

Yam Gratin with Gruyere - Our supermarket was giving away tons of free samples this weekend and one of them was this gratin. I had planned to just to roast the sweet potatoes but after one bite I changed my plans. I prefer savory sweet potatoes so this recipe is perfect.

Whiskey-Glazed Carrots - I've turned quite a few people on to this recipe, which is now a must-have on our Thanksgiving table.

Creamed Onions with Thyme and Sage - I made these last year and was shocked by how good they were. I use frozen pearl onions instead of chopping my own.

Green Beans with Sliced Almonds - This is usually how we cook green beans for Christmas, but we all wanted something a little simpler this year.

Cranberry Sauce, Gravy and Rolls will round out the meal, with these Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes for dessert, my draw for the Thanksgiving Desserts recipe swap. I seriously cannot wait to get into the kitchen.

Friday - Leftovers from Thanksgiving. I'm also hoping to have enough turkey left to make this Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

Saturday - Celebrating my stepdad's birthday, menu TBD by my mom.

Sunday - Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Ranch Dressing - I'm going to give my crockpot another chance with this recipe from Cassie, who never steers me wrong.

Recipe Swap: Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

2011-11-18T06:30:00.004-05:00

The theme for this recipe swap is One Pot meals. Most people love having meals in their arsenal that involve mixing a few ingredients together and letting the oven or crock pot do most of the work. I've always wanted to make Scalloped Potatoes and Ham so I was excited to get Ashley's recipe.

In the interest of full disclosure, SP was not a fan of this one. At all. He was put off immediately by the red potatoes, claiming scalloped potatoes should only be made with Yukon gold or russets. After baking this I have to agree. Even after an hour and a half of baking the red potatoes were still a bit crunchy. Yukon gold or russet seem to break down better when cooking, which is why they are preferable for a recipe like this. Even so, I absolutely loved this recipe and his dislike meant I got all the leftovers. I actually ate this three days in a row, which is pretty impressive. I'm usually a dinner and lunch the next day-only leftovers eater.

Based on my experience making this I made quite a few changes in the recipe below, swapping the red potatoes for Yukon gold or russets, pre-cooking the potatoes in the milk and cream mixture like I do for my potato gratin, and modifying the seasonings to suit our tastes. I think the changes will elevate this to excellent and hopefully I can convince SP to let me try again.

This is true comfort food and perfect for this time of year. Thanks for a delicious one pot meal, Ashley!

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Modified from Cheesecurd in Paradise

2 large cloves garlic, 1 halved and 1 minced
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
12-16 ounces cooked ham steaks, diced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rub an 2 1/2-quart baking dish with the cut sides of the garlic halves and discard the halves. Coat the inside of the dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter.

In a large pot, combine the milk, cream, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, fresh thyme and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add the potato slices to the milk mixture. Repeat with remaining potatoes. Bring the milk mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add shredded cheese and stir to melt.

Transfer half of the potatoes to the prepared dish. Top with half the ham and half the onion slices. Top with the remaining potatoes, ham and onion. Pour all of the milk mixture over the potatoes. Cover the dish with buttered aluminum foil, buttered side down.

Bake for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake until the potatoes are tender, the liquid bubbles thickly and the top is brown and crusty, about 20 minutes longer. Remove from the oven, let stand for 10 minutes, then serve.

Foodbuzz Tastemaker - Newman's Own

2011-11-17T06:49:00.001-05:00

I received quite a nice package of goodies from Newman's Own as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program - 2 jars of pasta sauce (Tomato & Basil and Roasted Garlic), 3 bottles of salad dressing (2 Family Recipe Italian and 1 Lighten Up Raspberry and Walnut), and my favorite item, a Flip Video Camera. SP has been bugging me to do some video how-to posts and now I have no excuse not to. Look for those, probably in the spring when I've got daylight on my side again.

I needed an easy weeknight meal recently so I went into the pantry for a jar of sauce and bottle of salad dressing. I had made garlic and parsley butter over the weekend so all I had to do was cook the pasta, heat up the sauce, toast the bread and cut up some veggies for a quick salad.

First, the salad since we ate those as an appetizer while we waited for the garlic bread to toast. In addition to the spring mix greens I grated some carrot, chopped mushrooms, cucumber and tomatoes and finished with croutons.

I absolutely LOVED this dressing. It was tangy and I could actually taste the oil, vinegar and seasonings. But my favorite part was the cheese. The ingredient list says Romano cheese is included, which was very exciting for me since I love grating cheese over my salads dressed with oil and vinegar.

Next up, the pasta. I topped my bowl with a dollop of ricotta cheese leftover from a lasagna SP and Baby Girl made as a welcome home dinner after my latest work conference.

Notice the basil leaf on the left side of the picture? The sauce was full of real pieces of basil, which was great to see but unfortunately made the sauce overly sweet. I don't put basil in my tomato sauce for this reason. Lots of extra grated pecorino helped tame the sweetness a bit, but this sauce wasn't our thing. Baby Girl, however, loved it. She slurped this one up, literally, and said "yummy" after each bite. I'm hoping the roasted garlic one has a more tangy flavor.

Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos

2011-11-16T06:10:00.000-05:00

These Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos have been floating around the blogopshere for awhile now. I finally got around to making them this past weekend and like everyone always says, I can't believe I waited this long.

Not only were they easy to make, the flavor is outstanding. SP was a little disappointed that I wasn't deep-frying them but we both thought the tortillas had great crunch just from baking. The only change I made to the original recipe was to use flour tortillas instead of corn because SP isn't a big corn tortilla fan.

I HIGHLY recommend doubling the recipe and freezing half. It takes almost no effort to double all the ingredients and now I have a nice bag full of taquitos to bake up one night when I don't feel like doing anything too involved for dinner. I also recommend making these on a weekend day if you are planning to roast your own chicken for the filling. I bought bone-in, skin-on breasts, seasoned them simply with salt and pepper and roasted them for an hour. The meat was so tender and juicy (recipe below).

I served them with yellow rice and a mix of sour cream and leftover salsa verde to dip. SP did straight sour cream. I think taco sauce or a thinned out guacamole would also be good, but use whatever you like.

Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos
Pink Parsley

3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup salsa verde
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 scallions, chopped
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken*
1/2 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Pepperjack cheese
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese with the salsa, lime juice, cumin, chile powder, cayenne, onion powder, garlic, cilantro, scallions, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Fold in the chicken and cheeses. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Working 3 tortillas at a time, stack them on a microwave-safe plate and cover with plastic wrap. Cook 30 seconds, or until tortillas are soft and pliable.

Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of filling onto the lower third of each tortilla, and roll tightly. Place seam side-down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Spray the taquitos lightly with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden-brown. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole.

*To roast chicken - Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread a piece of aluminum foil across a baking sheet, and arrange bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts in a single layer in the center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, or season as you wish. Bake for 1 hour, or until it is cooked through. Allow to cool and then remove meat from the bones, discarding skin.

**To freeze, prepare the taquitos, but before baking, place the baking sheet in the refrigerator until the taquitos are completely cold. Wrap each taquito in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and freeze. To bake, unwrap the taquitos and cook in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes (no need to thaw first).

Weekly Menu - Week of November 13, 2011

2011-11-15T06:02:00.001-05:00

Can you believe Thanksgiving is NEXT week? I am so excited I can hardly stand it. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite eating holiday and this year SP and I are actually cooking the whole meal ourselves. Squee! I'm looking forward to revisiting some old favorites and trying out some new recipes.

This week's menu was easy to put together. I like weeks like that since it makes writing out the shopping list a lot easier. I hope everyone has a good week!

Sunday - Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos, yellow rice

Monday - Foodbuzz Tastemaker meal - Newman's Own pasta sauce over spaghetti, garlic bread and salad dressed with Newman's Own salad dressing

Tuesday - Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad (I'm going to my exercise class so I'll probably have my salad for lunch the next day)

Wednesday - Double Crunch Honey Garlic Pork Chops, buttered egg noodles, green beans

Thursday - Tuscan Garlic Chicken over spaghetti

Friday - Homemade pizza

Foodbuzz Tastemaker - Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

2011-11-14T06:09:00.002-05:00

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program I received a jar of Classico Light Creamy Alfredo Sauce. I decided to make Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo and asked my cooking board how to season the chicken. Elly from Elly Says Opa! recommended blackening seasoning, which sounded great.

(Photo from Classico since I forgot to take a photo of my own jar)

I was pleasantly surprised by how good the sauce was especially since it's a light sauce. The blackening spice on the chicken was perfect and went well with the broccoli and sauce. I cooked it over lower heat so it didn't burn/blacken. My only issue was the amount of sauce. I should have realized how small the jar was and used maybe half a box of pasta instead of the full pound. There wasn't enough sauce to go around, which was a real shame. If you're using a full pound of pasta buy two jars.

This was a great and easy meal.

Blackened Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
Chicken recipe from Elly Says Opa!; the rest of it was my own

1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3 broccoli crowns, cut into florets
1/2 lb pasta
1 jar Classico Light Creamy Alfredo Sauce
1/2 cup milk
Freshly cracked black pepper

Mix together the all of the herbs/spices. Rub 1 teaspoon of oil into each piece of chicken, and then press the spice mixture into both sides.

Heat remaining 1 teaspoon of canola oil in a cast iron skillet or other non-stick skillet until it's smoking (this will take a few minutes).

Place the chicken breasts in the hot skillet. Cook about 5 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes, then slice on a diagonal.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and pasta. Cook according to package directions. Add the broccoli florets to the pot during the last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain and return pasta and broccoli to the pot. Add the jarred sauce and stir to coat. Put milk in the jar, replace the lid and shake to loosen any sauce stuck to the side. Add milk and sauce to the pasta. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Plate pasta and serve sliced chicken over the top.

Recipe Swap Roundup - Thanksgiving Side Dishes

2011-11-08T10:00:00.003-05:00

November is here and you know what that means - Thanksgiving is right around the corner. This is the first year we are cooking the whole meal at our house and I can't wait. When I was a kid we ate the same side dishes every year, but now that I'm older I can't wait to experiment with some new recipes. A Thanksgiving side dish swap sounded like a great way for the ladies on the cooking board to find some new recipes.

I hope anyone reading this is able to find some new side dishes for their Thanksgiving table. Happy Cooking!

Kate incorporated some of her favorite elements from past sweet potato casseroles to make Sweet Potato Casserole:

Caitlin's recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms and Cream combined a bunch of her favorites into one dish:

Ashley loved the versatility of her Sweet Potato Coins with Blue Cheese and Bacon:

Heather had never made Stovetop Mac and Cheese before, preferring the baked variety, but found her recipe to be fast and delicious:

Brianna revamped her recipe for Green Bean Casserole:

Nicole went out of her comfort zone with her recipe for Baked Garlic Cheddar Grits and discovered she really liked grits:

Jaida had never had butternut squash before, but she loved her recipe for Butternut Squash Risotto:

Melissa enjoyed the pecans the most in her recipe for Brussels Sprouts with Maple Buttered Pecans:

The Cookaholic Wife had never been a big fan of Thanksgiving but now she enjoys finding new dishes to try, like her recipe for Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Pecan and Marshmallow Streusel:

Melissa's recipe for Burgundy Mushrooms took quite a long time to make:

Christen's recipe for Twice Baked Potato Casserole is certainly not diet food, but she loved it:

Lishie enjoyed her recipe for Green Beans with Bacon & Caramelized Shallots and can't wait to make it again with pancetta:

Dawn had never made stuffed mushrooms before so she was excited to try her recipe for Clam Stuffed Mushrooms:

Jenna had another recipe involving French onion, this time for French Onion Stuffed Baked Potatoes:

Jey had my recipe for Whiskey Glazed Carrots, which were a huge hit with her whiskey-loving husband:

I had another Brussels sprouts recipe, Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts:

Coleen went all out, cooking a mini-Thanksgiving dinner for herself and her husband to go along with her recipe for Cranberry-Apple Chutney:

Christine thought her recipe for Strip House Potatoes Romanoff was DeLish, just like the name of the blog that submitted the recipe:

Lindsay's recipe for a homemade version of the traditional green bean casserole was right up her alley. She put her own spin, ommiting the mushrooms, to make Cheddar Green Bean Casserole:

Mary Ellen thought the bacon flavor was a little overwhelming in her Sauteed Spinach with Bacon, but she loved the crispy bits of bacon mixed with the spinach:

The blogger who received Melissa's recipe for Red Skin Potato Mash had a family emergency that prevented her from completing the assignment, but I didn't want you to miss out on the deliciousness:

Foodbuzz Tastemaker - Simply Potatoes

2011-11-07T06:27:00.001-05:00

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program I recently received two coupons for free Simply Potatoes products. Our supermarket doesn't seem to carry many varieties of Simply Potatoes so I stuck with something simple and picked up a bag of shredded hash browns.

On a recent Sunday morning I thought I'd doctor these up for breakfast. I cooked the potatoes in a non-stick skillet with some oil and butter until they turned golden brown, then added some fresh chopped scallion and shredded cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. I served the hash browns alongside scrambled eggs and bacon for a delicious and hearty Sunday breakfast.

I certainly liked the convenience of Simply Potatoes, but like many people these days I'm wary of overly processed products. It doesn't take that much effort to peel and shred my own potatoes, but every once in awhile it's nice to just open a bag and start cooking.

Weekly Menu - Week of November 6, 2011

2011-11-06T17:33:00.004-05:00

My work conference is over and I'm happy to be back in the kitchen. I've got a week of comfort food classics on my weekly menu. I'm revisiting some old favorites and trying a few new things. I'm also starting to think about Thanksgiving. We are hosting this year and I can't wait to experiment.

Sunday - Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, green beans (This is my recipe for the next recipe swap. The theme is one-pot meals. I'm planning to make a few modifications but keeping the basic recipe the same).

Monday - Chicken and Pasta Soup with crusty bread for dipping (I loved this soup so much I had to put it on the menu again. I'm going to try it with pasta this time to lighten it up a bit).

Tuesday - I'm starting an exercise class with a friend so we're fending for ourselves.

Wednesday - Honey Mustard Salmon with Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus (Another repeat from one of the recipe swaps. We had some salmon left in the freezer and this recipe was so good the first time I figured why not make it again).

Thursday - Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo (I got some Classico alfredo sauce as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program so I'm going to use it in this dish).

Friday - Homemade pizza

Recipe Swap: Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts

2011-11-04T06:20:00.006-04:00

Want to see what other Thanksgiving Side Dish recipes were made during the swap? Here is the link to the Soup/Stew Recipe Swap Roundup

The theme for this week's recipe swap was Thanksgiving Side Dishes. I know some people like to try new dishes each year and I foresee the roundup as a good starting point for people looking for new recipes to try.

I have to admit, I wasn't excited when I saw that my recipe would be Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts, even if it was submitted by my friend Jaida. Like most people, I'm not a fan of the little cabbages, but I will admit I've never tried pan roasting them before so I was willing to give it a shot.

I halved the recipe since my store sells brussels sprouts loose, but kept the amount of shallots and garlic the same to add flavor. I also skipped the browned butter part because I was too busy making the rest of the dinner. These weren't bad and they are definitely better with plenty of salt and pepper so don't skimp. Even so, I don't think we'll be making these again; not because the recipe isn't good but because we just aren't fans. But if you are a brussels sprouts fan this is a great, simple recipe.

Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Browned Butter
Slightly Adapted from Sweet Beginnings

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound raw brussels sprouts, stems cut off then cut in half
2 shallots, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Add shallots and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add in brussels spouts cut side down, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for 8-10 minutes, tossing every so often, until browned.

Meanwhile, heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add butter. Whisk fairly continuously until butter begins to get golden in color and brown flecks appear. Remove from heat immediately. (I didn't do this step. I combined the oil and butter initially and just cooked everything together to save time)

Remove brussels sprouts from heat and drizzle browned butter over top, then serve.

Spaghetti with Shrimp, Roasted Tomatoes and Spinach

2011-11-03T06:10:00.000-04:00

I saw this recipe for Spaghetti with Shrimp, Roasted Tomatoes and Spinach in a recent issue of Parenting magazine, but for some reason it isn't showing up when I search their website. I had a pound of shrimp in the freezer and this seemed like an easy weeknight recipe.

I learned something very important while making this recipe - we do not like whole wheat pasta. The texture was gummy and the flavor totally overwhelmed the other flavors in this dish. Unfortunately it was all we had on hand and I thought it would be a good time to see if the healthier substitute would work. SP loved the shrimp but was trying to eat around the pasta. Next time I will go back to good old regular pasta, although I've been told to try Dreamfields before swearing off the healthier pasta options completely.

I made quite a few changes to the original recipe, mainly because I can't stand loose skin on tomatoes. The texture always makes me gag, so I subbed one can of drained diced tomatoes for the 1/2 pint of grape tomatoes in the original recipe. I also added white wine because I thought it would add better flavor then chicken broth, threw in two chopped leeks because I had some that needed to be used up, and coated the shrimp with flour to make them crispier. I can't wait to make this again with good pasta.

Spaghetti with Shrimp, Roasted Tomatoes and Spinach
As seen in Parenting magazine

1 can diced tomatoes, drained, juice reserved
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 pound linguine or spaghetti
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 leeks, sliced, soaked in cold water to remove grit and drained
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups baby spinach

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a baking dish, toss together the tomatoes, half the garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the Panko and roast for another 5 minutes.

Boil the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add two tablespoons olive oil, butter to the pan and heat until smoking. In a plastic food storage bag, toss the shrimp and flour together to coat. Add the shrimp and sauté until they're pink and cooked through, about four minutes. Remove to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the leeks. Cook until the leeks are soft, about 2 minutes, then add the wine and deglaze the pan. Cook for an additional two minutes, then add the pasta, roasted tomatoes and baby spinach and cook for another minute. Toss well and serve.

Recipe Swap Roundup - Soups and Stews

2011-11-02T06:49:00.001-04:00

Now that fall weather is here (or for some of us Eastcoasters, wintery snow) a theme of Soups/Stews seemed perfect for the recipe swap. You all know I'm not a huge fan of soup but man, just putting this roundup together made me drool all over my keyboard. I can't wait to make some of the recipes below as the weather keeps getting colder.

If you're a fan of soups/stews definitely check out the links below. Every single one looks incredibly delicious. Enjoy!

Mary Ellen had fun putting her own spin on Sausage and Tortellini Soup:

Part of the fun of the swaps is trying something new, which Ammie did with her Beef Bourguignon:

Christen's husband rated her Mushroom and Brie Bisque with Puff Pastry Toppers one of the Top 5 things she's ever made:

Heather isn't a fan of Guinness but her husband loved her Beef and Guinness Stew:

As a working mom, Lishie was happy she was able to prep her delicious Basil Dumplings & Chicken Soup the night before:

Melissa really enjoyed her Slow Cooker French Onion Soup, even if the onion smell was a little overwhelming as it cooked:

Jaida had another Olive Garden copy cat soup, Zuppa Toscana, that got her to try kale:

Maryanna made my recipe for Loaded Baked Potato Soup a bit healthier:

Nicole thinks a few modifications to her Creamy Cabbage Soup with Gruyere would make it perfect:

Christine had made Chunky Italian Vegetable Soup:

Katie forgot to buy broccoli at the store so her Broccoli Cheddar Soup ended up being Cheddar and Potato Soup:

Ashley liked being able to add her choice of seafood to Ina's Seafood Stew:

Melissa loves soup and was thrilled to get another delicious slow cooker soup recipe to add to her arsenal with Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup:

Caitlin was thrilled for an excuse to make one of her favorite soups, French Onion Soup:

The Cookaholic Wife loves that cool weather means more chances to eat soup. She really enjoyed her recipe for Cheesy Jalapeno Corn Chowder and it made enough for her to freeze half for another time:

Jey was thrilled with the theme for this swap. Her soups always come out thick like stews, which was exactly the case with her Pasta E Fagioli:

Jenna had another variation of French Onion Soup, and was happy to find that she actually liked it:

Coleen had never made Chicken Pot Pie at home before so she was excited to get it for the swap:

The Cooking Nurse switched up the ingredients for her soup to make Taco Soup:

I absolutely loved the flavors in my recipe for Chicken Gnocchi Soup:

Melissa was a little hesitant about her Pumpkin Soup recipe but it ended up blowing her away with the flavors of fall in a bowl:

Jill turned her recipe for chili into a thinner White Bean Chicken Soup, perfect for a comforting weeknight meal:

Kate's Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup was perfect on a cold, rainy day:

Nicole had to modify her recipe for Chinese Chicken Corn Soup because she didn't have all the necessary ingredients:

Joelen made a quick and easy Chicken Enchilada Soup:

Lindsay thought the perfect way to usher in fall was her recipe for Italian Beef Stew with Gnocchi:

BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad

2011-11-01T06:11:00.001-04:00

Another fantastic and easy meal from my friend who brought you Bow Ties with Sausage, Tomato and Cream and Ranch Pork Chops; this one is a hearty BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad that packs great flavor with minimal ingredients.

I really loved the combination of flavors in this salad. The tangy BBQ sauce, the cool Ranch dressing, the freshness of the cucumber, the spice from the red onion. Everything works so well together. I opted to top my salad with tortilla chips since we had some on hand, but I've seen other recipes that call for French's fried onions or even French fries. I picked up a rotisserie chicken at the supermarket before getting Baby Girl from daycare and the convenience can't be beat. My chicken wasn't BBQ because they didn't have any, so feel free to use whatever kind of roast chicken you like (or poach, grill, roast your own if you have the time).

BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad
As seen throughout the blogosphere

Spring Mix salad greens
1 BBQ roast chicken, shredded
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (I left these out because SP doesn't like beans)
1 can Mexicorn
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Monteray Jack, pepper Jack)
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 cup diced red onion
Crushed tortilla chips
BBQ sauce
Ranch dressing

Divide salad greens and toppings on 4 plates. Drizzle with BBQ sauce and Ranch dressing.

Click here to check out some more delicious salads.

Secret Recipe Club: Angie's Chipotle Shredded Chicken Tacos

2011-10-31T08:00:00.003-04:00

This is my first time participating in the Secret Recipe Club, a large-scale version of the recipe swaps I do on my cooking board, only instead of being assigned a single recipe you are assigned a blog and asked to pick a recipe, make it and then blog about it on a specific day.

I was assigned Farmgirl Gourmet, written by Heather, a mom of two who loves cooking and lives on 20 acres with 8 goats and 15 chickens. Her blog is full of gorgeous food and recipes, most of which she either grows herself or sources locally. Check it out for more delicious recipes.

I chose her recipe for Angie's Chipotle Shredded Chicken Tacos, partly because I wanted to try an experiment with my crock pot and partly because it looked delicious. We love tacos but I rarely make them so this was a great excuse.

Even though I don't usually cook with chicken thighs I decided to stick to the original recipe. I'm glad I did - the thighs were deliciously tender from the slow cooking. I served the tacos with a lot of toppings:

We really enjoyed this recipe and I had a lot of fun browsing through Farmgirl Gourmet for inspiration. I'm writing this post about 3 weeks after I made the chicken tacos and there are a bunch of new recipes on the blog that sound good. Enjoy!

Angie's Chipotle Shredded Chicken Tacos
Farmgirl Gourmet

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup salsa
2 tablespoons canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, sliced
1 tablespoon chili powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Warm tortillas
Toppings: Shredded cheddar cheese, lime quarters, sour cream, lettuce, guacamole, tomatoes, cilantro, onion, salsa

In a slow cooker, combine chicken, garlic, salsa, chipotle chilies, chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and salt to taste. Add a 1/4 cup of water if the mixture looks too dry. Cover; cook on low for 8 hours.

Transfer chicken to a serving bowl, shred with 2 forks. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Spoon onto warm tortillas and add toppings.

Kitchen Tip: If your slow cooker is on the larger size (6-quarts or larger) you may have issues with recipes burning. Most slow cooker recipes seem to be for 4-quart cookers. To make the space smaller, put a Pyrex or Corningware dish into the slow cooker and put the ingredients inside the dish.

Weekly Menu - Week of October 30, 2011

2011-10-30T16:21:00.003-04:00

Hard to believe these are the last two days of October. November is right around the corner. In my neck of the woods we actually had SNOW yesterday. We rarely get measurable snow before the New Year, but we had between 4-6 inches yesterday. Before Halloween even. Ridiculous.

This week's menu plan is sparse because I'm out of town at my big work conference Tuesday - Saturday. I'll be eating hotel food most of the time but hopefully my coworkers and I will get out for a few good dinners. I hope everyone has a great week!

Sunday - Ground beef tacos with shredded lettuce, cheese, salsa, sour cream and avocado with yellow rice

Monday - Creamy chicken with mushrooms and onions over egg noodles. I'm experimenting with my crockpot, combining some recipes from Fix It and Forget It. My basic idea is chopped onions and mushrooms, a packet of onion soup mix, a can of cream of mushroom soup and chicken breasts. Once it's done cooking I'll stir in some sour cream and serve over egg noodles.

Roast Beef with Mushroom Gravy

2011-10-28T06:07:00.001-04:00

Another delicious recipe from Cassie, this one for Roast Beef with Mushroom Gravy. I recently discovered why I was having so much trouble with my crock pot (mine is very large so standard recipes tend to burn, a problem I've solved by adding a Pyrex or Corningware dish to make the cooking area smaller) so I'm no longer hesitant to use it.

I prepped the onions and mushrooms the night before so I could sear the beef in the morning before heading to work. I loved coming home to a house that smelled of delicious roast beef with gravy. My only complaint was the greasiness of the gravy. My cut of beef let off a lot of fat, so next time I'll strain the gravy through my fat separator before serving. I served the roast with mashed potatoes but I think egg noodles would also be awesome and am planning to do that next time. Thanks for another winner, Cassie!

Roast Beef with Mushroom Gravy
Cassie Craves

1 3-pound beef roast
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 10.75-ounce can cream of mushroom soup
1 packet dry mushroom gravy mix
1 cup water

In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Season beef roast liberally with salt and pepper. Add beef roast and sear on all sides until caramelized. Add to the bottom of a crock pot.

To same pot, add remaining tablespoon of butter, mushrooms and onions. Cook until mushrooms are brown and onions are soft, then season with salt and pepper. Stir in garlic and cook and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release browned bits. Add mushroom mixture to meat in crock pot.

Mix together cream of mushroom soup and mushroom gravy mix. Pour over meat and mushroom mixture.

Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until meat begins to fall apart. If it looks greasy, strain mushrooms and onions from the gravy then put gravy into a fat separator. Add the mushrooms and onions back in and serve with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

Chickpea Dip (Hummus)

2011-10-27T06:32:00.000-04:00

A few weekends ago I went to my friend Mary Ellen's house for a lunch play date. Our girls are 9 months apart in age and seeing them play together was a lot of fun. Baby Girl loves to take care of younger kids so she was bringing Mary Ellen's daughter toys, her sippy cup and helping her eat. Too cute.

One of the things Mary Ellen prepared for lunch was Chickpea Dip (Hummus). Hummus purists might balk at the lack of tahini in the recipe, which is why I renamed it Chickpea Dip, but it was still delicious. She served it with cucumber sticks and pita chips and I totally gorged myself. And Baby Girl kept asking for more hummus, which made me very happy.

I had a can of chickpeas in my pantry so I decided to whip up my own batch for snacking during the week. I love recipes that use ingredients I always keep on hand and involve dumping everything into a food processor and pulsing together. I had a nice little snack on a Sunday afternoon while I cooked dinner. Thanks for an awesome recipe, Mary Ellen!

Chickpea Dip (Hummus)
Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 clove garlic
Salt to taste
Juice from 1/2 of a lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and cut into sticks
Pita chips

Rinse the beans then put them in a bowl of cold water. After 10 minutes or so, run your hands through them to remove the clear-shells from the beans. This step isn't necessary but it helps with the creamy consistency. Drain.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor; blend until creamy
Chill before serving with cucumber and pita chips.

Chicken Broccoli Supreme

2011-10-25T06:10:00.000-04:00

I saw this recipe for Chicken Broccoli Supreme on Cassie's weekly menu plan and was immediately intrigued. I love the combo of chicken and broccoli and who doesn't love a good cheese sauce every once in awhile. It seemed like a good one-dish meal.

We both enjoyed this dish but I feel like it needs a lot of tweaking before I'll make it again. My biggest complaint was the Ritz crackers. Two tubes is way too much. I should have gone with my gut and stuck with one tube. I also cut the amount of butter way down. I don't usually balk at butter but almost 2 sticks in one recipe (and a savory recipe at that) is overkill. To cut down on the butter I made a roux with butter and flour instead of the cornstarch/butter/water mixture.

SP said the addition of some noodles would have gone a long way to making this great and I have to agree, especially because my casserole was a little light on the meat. I had some bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in the freezer so I decided to poach those, but I got barely a cup and a half of meat from the 4 thighs. I'm happy to report that SP got a different brand of cheddar cheese for me this time and it's amazing what a difference it made. I could actually taste the cheddar!

I've made a bunch of changes in the recipe below and will report back when I make this again.

Chicken Broccoli Supreme
Modified From Get Off Your Butt and Bake!

3 cups cooked chicken breasts, cubed
2 cups egg noodles
1–lb. broccoli crowns, cut into florets
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

SAUCE:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

TOPPING:
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tube Ritz crackers

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and egg noodles. Cook for 4 minutes, then add the broccoli florets and cook another 2 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Add the cooked chicken and toss together.

Grease a 13×9 pan. Add pasta mixture and set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook one minute, then whisk in the chicken broth, salt and pepper and milk. Whisk until the sauce starts to thicken. Turn heat down to low, and add 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese. Stir until melted.

Pour the sauce over the pasta, chicken and broccoli. Top with 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese.

Melt the butter, and add the poppy seeds; stir well. Crush Ritz crackers in large zip-lock bag with a rolling pin. Add crumbs to the melted butter. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of the grated cheese.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Spicy Citrus Shrimp Tacos

2011-10-24T06:50:00.000-04:00

I love shrimp and I love tacos, but I rarely make them. That needs to change. Shrimp on a regular basis used to be out of my price range, but lately the price for frozen shrimp at the wholesale club seems to be dropping. I've seen this recipe for Spicy Citrus Shrimp Tacos floating around my cooking board recently, so I thought I'd give it a try.

We thought these were good (and probably would have been better with a squirt or two of lime once the tacos were assembled, which we forgot in our haste to eat), but we both prefer the Shrimp Tacos with Jalapeno-Ranch Sauce I've made a few times before. Citrus will cook the shrimp if left to sit too long, but that means I didn't taste any of the flavors after only 30 minutes. I'm planning to try the marinade with chicken since that can sit longer and really soak up the flavors of the orange, lemon and lime.

Spicy Citrus Shrimp Tacos
Slightly Modified from Pink Parsley

Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
2 chipotle chiles en adobo
1 teaspoon adobo liquid
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
Shredded Monteray Jack cheese
8 small (6-inch) flour tortillas
1/2 lime, cut into wedges or slices

Southwest Cream Sauce
1 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

In the bowl of a food processor, combine all the ingredients for the marinade, through the salt and pepper, and process until smooth and well combined. Pour over shrimp in a medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes, but no longer than 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together all the ingredients for the southwest cream sauce.

Thread the shrimp onto skewers, and grill on a well-oiled grate 1-3 minutes per side, until opaque and cooked through. Use the grill to heat the tortillas as well. You can also cook the shrimp in a skillet over high heat for about 2 minutes per side.

Assemble tacos with shrimp, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese and cream sauce. Spritz with lime wedges.

Weekly Menu - Week of October 23, 2011

2011-10-23T17:35:00.003-04:00

I can't believe it's almost the end of October. Where did the month go? I'm starting to think about Thanksgiving since we are hosting for the first time and getting very excited about all the comfort food recipes I've been waiting for cool weather to make. I'm excited for this week's menu. I'm revisiting some old favorites and trying a few new ones.

Sunday - Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, steamed green beans and Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Browned Butter (my recipe swap)

Monday - Broccoli Cheddar Soup and crusty bread for dipping

Tuesday - BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad

Wednesday - Spaghetti with Shrimp, Tomatoes and Spinach, garlic bread

Thursday - something from the freezer, probably Bacon Lover's Mac and Cheese

Friday - ground beef tacos topped with shredded lettuce, cheese, salsa, sour cream and guacamole and yellow rice

Recipe Swap: Chicken Gnocchi Soup

2011-10-21T06:55:00.002-04:00

Want to see what other Soup/Stew recipes were made during the swap? Here is the link to the Soup/Stew Recipe Swap Roundup

Note to self: ask for a light box for Christmas. My photos are downright awful now that I'm stuck taking pictures inside without natural light.

On to the recipe. Now that the weather is turning cold (and rainy for many areas of the country) I thought it was time for a soup swap. As I said in my last post about soup, I'm not really a fan of soup as a general rule, but I know a lot of people love it and are always looking for new recipes. If you couldn't tell from reading my blog, I have a weakness for cream-based anything so I was excited when I got my recipe for Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup from The Cooking Nurse.

I have to admit, I was shocked by how good this recipe was since I'm a little biased against Olive Garden. Once I looked over the ingredients I knew I'd like it, but I didn't anticipate loving it. And SP was also a huge fan. The flavors were outstanding. I'm so glad the recipe made more then we could eat for dinner and lunch the next day so I was able to freeze some for when I'm too busy to cook.

The gnocchi was a little heavy for my tastes, so I think I'll swap it for small pasta next time. The base of the chicken, veggies, seasoning and cream was what really had me hooked.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Slightly Modified from The Cooking Nurse

1 pound of potato gnocchi (or 1 cup short cut pasta)
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 ribs celery, finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups half and half
2 cups milk
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced (you can use a rotisserie chicken)
1 (14oz) can of chicken broth
1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook gnocchi (or pasta) according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat butter over medium heat in a Dutch oven. Saute the onion, celery, carrot and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the flour and cook for about a minute. Add the half and half and milk. Bring to a simmer, then add the chicken.

Once the mixture becomes thick add the chicken broth. Once the mixture thickens again, add the cooked gnocchi or pasta, spinach, and seasonings, then simmer until soup is heated through.

Serve with crusty bread for dipping.

UPDATE: November 8, 2011 I made this again for dinner last night and subbed 1 cup dry nugget pasta, cooked according to package directions, drained and stirred into the soup at the very end of the cooking time. It was a fantastic sub and made the dish lighter. I HIGHLY recommend the substitution. This is an awesome soup!

Spicy Sausage Mac and Cheese

2011-10-19T06:43:00.000-04:00

As soon as I saw Spicy Sausage Mac and Cheese on Cassie's weekly menu plan I knew I had to make it. We love spicy sausage but I wouldn't have thought to put it in mac and cheese. Brilliant, Cassie!

I didn't have luck with adding cream cheese to my mac and cheese sauce the last time I made it so I decided to turn this into a baked dish. I made it in the morning and baked it that night for dinner. Even though I tried to let the pasta and sauce cool before I mixed them together, the dish was a little dry. Next time I think I'll stick with a stove top version for that extra creaminess. I can't wait to make this again.

Spicy Sausage Macaroni and Cheese
Slightly Modified from Cassie Craves

1 pound macaroni or other short pasta
1 pound spicy sausage
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon ground mustard
Pinch of nutmeg
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage until no longer pink. Set aside on paper towels to drain.

Heat butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan until melted, then add flour and cook one minute. Whisk in milk until smooth and slightly thickened. Season with ground mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cheddar cheese until melted.

Combine pasta, sausage, cherry tomatoes, and cheese sauce. Serve immediately.

Weekly Menu - Week of October 16, 2011

2011-10-16T09:01:00.006-04:00

The temps are back in the high 60s/low 70s and that makes me very happy. I love being able to use my oven without cranking up the AC. I think this week's menu is a great combination of different flavors while keeping with the comfort food theme. I can't decide which recipe I'm most excited about since they all sound great.

Sunday - Going to my friend Mary Ellen's house with Baby Girl for a lunch playdate. I'm bringing Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing. For dinner I'm making Chicken Marsala, mashed potatoes and green beans

Monday - Spicy Citrus Shrimp Tacos, rice

Tuesday - Chicken Broccoli Supreme (I saw this on Cassie's weekly menu recently and it sounded delicious).

Wednesday - Bow Ties with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cream

Thursday - Roast Beef and Mushroom Gravy, mashed potatoes, Whiskey Glazed Carrots (I can't believe I've made these carrots from PW before but never blogged about them. And I'm anxious to use my slowcooker with the roast beef recipe from Cassie.)

Friday - Homemade pizza

Greek Taco Salad with Crispy Pita Wedges

2011-10-14T06:56:00.000-04:00

A woman on my cooking board recently posted a recipe for Greek Tacos that sounded delicious. We are trying to eat healthier these days so I decided to make the recipe into a taco salad instead of using the crispy shells.

I really enjoyed the salad and used the crispy pita wedges as dippers for the tzatziki but SP wasn't a fan. I think he would have preferred these in the crispy taco shells. I actually put some of the leftover meat mixture, tzatziki, feta, and romaine into a pita for lunch the next day and it was fantastic, so that's another alternative to the traditional taco shells.

Greek Taco Salad with Crispy Pita Wedges
Inspired by A Seasoned Greeting

1 pound lean ground beef
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons Greek seasoning (see note below)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bag baby spinach, roughly chopped
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cucumber, diced
2 hearts of romaine, torn into bite-size pieces

Crispy Pita Wedges
2 pitas, cut into 4 wedges
Olive oil for brushing
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Tzatziki
12 ozs. plain Greek yogurt
1 cucumbers, seeded
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Salt and a little pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes, Greek seasoning, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add spinach and olives; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until spinach is wilted.

Crispy Pita Wedges: Place pita pieces on a baking sheet lined with foil. Brush the tops with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, oregano and thyme. Bake at 300° for 3-5 minutes or until heated through and crispy.

Tzatziki: Peel and seed the cucumber. Shred on the large holes of a box grater and then squeeze in a towel to get rid of as much excess moisture as possible. Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumbers, garlic, vinegar and lemon juice. Salt to taste. Refrigerate overnight, if possible, or at least 30 minutes for the flavors to meld.

To serve, fill shallow bowls with romaine. Top with beef mixture, feta, red onion and cucumber. Dollop tzatziki on top and arrange crispy pita wedges around the perimeter.

Note: For a substitute for 1 tablespoon Greek seasoning use 1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano, dried marjoram, garlic powder, lemon-pepper seasoning, ground mustard and salt.

Recipe Swap Roundup - Apple/Pumpkin

2011-10-13T06:20:00.002-04:00

Fall is in the air and you know what that means - apple and pumpkin picking, which necessitates the need for apple and pumpkin recipes. As I suspected, this was another popular theme for the recipe swap. Most of the recipes are desserts but there are a few savory dishes thrown in as well. Happy Fall!

Melissa, a newcomer to the swap, made Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars:

Lishie's Mini Apple Pies are an adorable way to make this tasty treat:

Christen's recipe for Warm Apple Buttermilk Custard Pie would be a great addition to any Thanksgiving dessert table:

Joelen's recipe for Pumpkin Chili sneaks this sweet ingredient into a rich, savory chili that's perfect for fall:

The Cooking Nurse had been meaning to make this recipe for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins for awhile, so she was excited when she got it as her swap recipe:

Nicole's recipe for Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting is a far cry from healthy, but she enjoyed a few and sent the rest to work with her husband:

Heather was very excited for the apple/pumpkin swap and enjoyed the Pumpkin Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting:

Jey's Ginger Pumpkin (or Apple Cinnamon) Truffles were a little bite of fall:

Christine's Pumpkin Pecan Loaf was a special work treat:

My recipe for Goat Cheese, Sweet Onion, Apple and Brandy Chicken was good, if not the most photogenic:

Ashley modified her recipe for Pumpkin Butterscotch and Chocolate Chip Cookies to be gluten-free and was very happy with the result:

Swap newcomer Nicole was happy to expand her horizons with Pumpkin Bread Pudding:

Coleen was pleasantly surprised by how delicious her Pumpkin Pie Dip was:

Melissa's White Chocolate Pumpkin Blondies were a nice change from all the apple recipes she's been making recently:

Swap newcomer Ammie was excited to expand her horizons and make her own pastry shells for Pumpkin Profiteroles:

Katie's Starbucks Pumpkin Bread was a hit at her girls' weekend:

Jaida really enjoyed her Apple Butter Pound Cake, as did her coworkers:

Kate had been enjoying a similar recipe for Apple Walnut Chicken Salad all summer:

Lindsay really enjoyed her Cran-Apple, White Chocolate Chip Cookies, which she deemed the perfect autumn cookie:

Cathy's family loved her recipe for Caramel Apple Tart, especially the caramel:

Krystal enjoyed her Apple-Bacon Stuffed Pork Chops:

Rachel, another swap newcomer, modified her recipe into an Apple, Bacon, Cheddar Quiche:

Tyler had a few mishaps with her Mrs. Field's Apple Oatmeal Cookies but the result was worth the effort:

Maryanna really enjoyed her individual Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread Muffins:

The Cookaholic Wife used her recipe for Pumpkin Pie Pecan Candy to usher in fall:

Nicole had my recipe, which she modified into Caramel Apple Pie Cupcakes:

Melissa shared her Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes with friends and family for Fall Fest and they were a hit:

Ellie was concerned that she wouldn't be able to pull of her Apple Croissant Bread Pudding but it ended up being super simple and delicious:

How to Microwave an Egg

2011-10-12T06:15:00.000-04:00

In an effort to eat a healthier breakfast during the work week I've rediscovered English muffins. There are so many healthy varieties these days, most with high dietary fiber and protein as well as whole grains. I've been alternating between toasting them and adding peanut butter and sliced banana, and wanting something more savory like a breakfast sandwich. I love a good egg sandwich but I didn't know how to make one at work since we don't have a stove. Enter the microwaved egg.

I admit I was a bit skeptical, but the ladies on my cooking board assured me this was totally doable. And now that I've done it I realize this is how most delis make eggs for their breakfast sandwiches. Not only is it easy, the lack of butter in the cooking makes it a healthier option.

Now that I know how easy this is to do I'm thinking of adding cooked veggies to the egg before microwaving to make a mini omelet. The possibilities are endless - veggies, meat or cheese would all work well.

How to Microwave an Egg

1 egg
Cooking spray
Salt and pepper
Optional - cooked veggies, shredded cheese, cooked breakfast meat

Spray a ramekin with cooking spray. You want to chose a ramekin that's roughly the same size as the bread/English muffin/bagel you will be using to make the sandwich.

Crack the egg into the ramekin. Gently scramble with a fork. Add salt and pepper to taste and any of the optional add-ins.

Cover the ramekin with a paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on the power of your microwave. My work microwave takes 30 seconds, while the one at home takes 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and flip the egg over. It will NOT be fully cooked at this point. Cover with the paper towel and return to the microwave for 20 seconds to 35 seconds more, again depending on the power of your microwave.

Remove the ramekin from the microwave (careful, it will be hot) and run a knife around the edge of the egg to loosen. Add to your breakfast sandwich and enjoy.

Menu - Week of October 9, 2011

2011-10-11T06:43:00.001-04:00

I'm a few days late posting my weekly meal plan but I have a good excuse. A certain little girl turned two on Monday and the weekend before was full to bursting between her party, a trip to a local theme park, visiting with relatives and all the weekend errands that still needed to be done.

Some weeks I really struggle to make a meal plan and this was one of them. Nothing sounded good and everything looked either too complicated or inappropriate for the warm weather we're having. Hopefully everything I'm planning to make works out as well as I'm hoping it will.

Sunday - Secret Recipe Club dish (I can't tell you what it is because it's supposed to be a secret. The post will be published Oct. 31)

Monday - Greek Taco Salad with Crispy Pita Wedges (I'm modifying this recipe and serving it over shredded Romaine hearts and using the tzatziki recipe from the chicken gyros)

Tuesday - Out for sushi to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary

Wednesday - Chicken Gnocchi Soup with ciabatta for dipping (for the recipe swap)

Thursday - Spicy Sausage Mac and Cheese, broccoli

Friday - Homemade pizza

Pork Chops with Orange-Soy Sauce

2011-10-10T07:22:00.001-04:00

I was all set to make this recipe for Pan Seared Pork with Citrus Rum Sauce for dinner this week. Then SP told me we didn't have any rum. Oops. We have quite a few bottles of liquor, mainly for cooking not drinking, but apparently rum wasn't one of them.

So off to Google I went. Since I had a bag of oranges for the original recipe I was hoping to find a sauce that would allow me to use them up. This recipe for Pork Chops with Orange-Soy Sauce sounded good, with the bonus of being healthy and not needing to marinate ahead of time. Excellent.

SP and I were both really, really happy with this recipe. It took very little time to make and the results were delicious. I ended up reducing the sauce more than I wanted to and we were fighting over it when making up our lunches for the next day. The orange provided a nice fresh burst and soy sauce is one of my favorite ingredients because of the great depth of flavor. Definitely a winner in our book.

Pork Chops with Orange-Soy Sauce
Slightly Modified from Eating Well

2 tablespoons oil
1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (took me 6 medium oranges to get 1 cup of juice)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried or fresh thyme
4 pork chops
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a skillet until shimmering. Combine orange juice, soy sauce, garlic and thyme in a small bowl. Set aside.

Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Add the pork chops to the hot skillet and sear until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Lower the heat and continue cooking, turning as needed to prevent burning, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer the chops to a plate and cover tightly with foil.

Add the reserved orange juice mixture to the pan and cook over medium-high heat until the sauce is reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. Return the chops to the skillet; heat through, turning to coat. Serve with the pan sauce.

Recipe Swap - Goat Cheese, Sweet Onion, Apple, and Brandy Chicken

2011-10-07T06:14:00.002-04:00

Want to see what other Apple/Pumpkin recipes were made during the swap? Here is the link to the Apple/Pumpkin Recipe Swap Roundup

Choosing themes for the recipe swap isn't always easy. I try to pick something broad enough that most people will have something to submit. Now that fall is in the air and everyone seems to be on the hunt for apple and pumpkin recipes to usher in the season, apple and pumpkin seemed like the perfect swap theme.

My recipe was one of the few savory dishes submitted - Goat Cheese, Sweet Onion, Apple, and Brandy Stuffed Chicken.

I never have any luck with stuffed chicken (the filling never stays inside the chicken) so I knew I needed to modify the recipe. I decided to turn the onion, apple and goat cheese mixture into a sauce. What I didn't foresee was how unappetizing the finished product would look. I'm sorry about that, but please don't let the pictures dissuade you from making this. It's actually a really good recipe.

Goat Cheese, Sweet Onion, Apple, and Brandy Chicken
Modified from Cheesecurd in Paradise

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied or pounded thin
2 apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 sweet onion, diced
1/3 cup brandy
1 cup chicken broth
3 oz goat cheese

Heat 1 tablespoon each butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pan. Cook, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 4 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and lower the heat to medium.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon each butter and oil to the skillet, then add the apples and onion and cook until onion starts to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add brandy and deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Add chicken broth to thin the sauce, then add the goat cheese, stirring to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.

Add the chicken back to the pan and simmer 2 minutes. Serve, spooning the sauce over the chicken.

Ranch Pork Chops

2011-10-06T07:03:00.000-04:00

I can't remember the last time I had pork chops. It's been a long time, I know that, but I get tired of the chicken, beef, pasta rotation and need to throw something different in once in awhile. Enter the other white meat. My friend, the same one who posted this amazing Bowties with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cream recipe, recently posted a link to Ranch House Pork Chops that went straight onto the menu.

My crockpot and I don't get along and I didn't want to ruin the chops by experimenting, so I modified this recipe for the stove top. I used the other half of the cream of chicken soup I made earlier in the week, adding some chicken broth to thin it out. The ranch seasoning added great flavor. As the original recipe suggested, I served the chops with garlic mashed potatoes, but to keep it simple I just throw some peeled and crushed cloves into the pot with the potatoes and mash as usual. It saves so much time and effort but still produces great garlic flavor.

Ranch Pork Chops
Inspired by Real Mom Kitchen

4 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons oil
1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning (or make your own)
1 1/2 cups cream of chicken soup (homemade recipe below)
1 cup chicken broth

Pat pork chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both side. Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Add pork chops and sear on both sides, about 5 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add Ranch seasoning, soup, and chicken broth to the now-empty skillet. Whisk to combine and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the pork chops to the pan along with any accumulated juices, cover and let cook about 10-15 minutes or until the chops are no longer pink. Serve topped with sauce alongside mashed potatoes to sop up the extra sauce.

Note - you can cook the chops until just done or you can cook them for a few hours, but nothing in between. The chops will be dry if you overcook them, but a slow simmer (think a crockpot, as the original recipe indicates) will make them tender.

From Scratch Cream of Chicken Soup
Slightly Modified From Allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
Dash of paprika
2 cups milk
3/4 cup flour

In medium-sized saucepan, boil chicken broth, 1 1/2 cup of the milk, and the seasonings for a minute or two.

In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and flour. Add to boiling mixture and continue whisking briskly until mixture boils and thickens.

Tortellini Soup with Chunky Tomatoes and Spinach

2011-10-05T06:58:00.001-04:00

I have a confession to make - I'm not a big fan of soup. In truth I just don't like hot liquids. I don't drink coffee, tea or hot chocolate and I don't like soup. I blame my dad, who's the same way. But SP really likes soup and in an effort to make him happy (and expand my horizons a bit) I put this Tortellini Soup with Chunky Tomatoes and Spinach on the menu recently. I have to admit, it smelled wonderful as it cooked, but I also love the smell of brewing coffee but I still don't drink it.

Thankfully, this soup tasted just as good as it smelled. I served it with Garlic Cheddar Biscuits and side salads.

Even though I used 6 cups of broth the soup was still mostly veggies and tortellini, so next time I'd use a full 8 cups. The next day Baby Girl ate the tortellini and some of the broth and veggies for dinner.

Tortellini Soup with Chunky Tomatoes and Spinach
Slightly Modified from Alida's Kitchen

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
6-8 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 can (14.5 ounces) low sodium diced tomatoes, including juices
1-lb tortellini (fresh or frozen), any variety
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning
2 bags baby spinach
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

In a dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Saute onion for 5-7 minutes, or until translucent. Add garlic, and saute for 1 minute. Add broth and tomatoes. Turn heat to high, cover and bring to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions.

Within the last minute of cooking the tortellini, stir in Italian herb seasoning and spinach. Taste, and add salt and pepper seasoning, as desired. Serve immediately, garnishing each bowl with Parmesan cheese.

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

2011-10-04T06:58:00.000-04:00

I'm really mourning the loss of natural light these days. My photos, which were never that great to begin with, are really suffering from the lack of daylight. I'm thinking it might be time to invest in a light box.

Anyway, on to the biscuits. I admit to loving the Garlic Cheddar Biscuits at Red Lobster. I have very fond memories of going there as a kid with my grandma. It was a special treat and I would eat a bunch of these biscuits with my Caesar salad. Yum!

I used a white cheddar because that's what we had on hand, but I wish I'd thought to buy yellow cheddar for the picture. I guess I'll just have to make these again and retake the photo. Oh darn.

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits
Sugared Whisk

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (for topping)
4 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
Seasoned or garlic salt, to taste

Adjust oven rack upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease for easy removal of biscuits.

Whisk together flour, cheddar cheese, sugar, baking powder, salt, and garlic in a medium bowl. Add milk and stir until ingredients are mixed, be careful not to over mix. At this point the dough should be fairly sticky but not runny or dry. Add more flour or milk as needed to achieve desired consistency.

Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet with a large cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons worth of dough). Top each biscuit with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to brown.

In a small bowl, melt the butter along with the garlic and parsley in the microwave. Brush tops with garlic butter mixture and sprinkle with garlic salt to taste.

Makes 12 biscuits

And the winner is....

2011-10-03T09:45:00.004-04:00

I'm sorry to have made everyone wait until Monday for the big announcement of who won the giveaway for the Furi Rachael Ray Froggy Double-Bladed Mezzaluna with Wooden Cutting Board and Non-Slip Mat. In the future I promise to have all giveaways end on Thursdays so I can announce the winner the next day.

Without further ado...

Drum roll please...

The winner is:

Jaida from Sweet Beginnings! Congratulations, Jaida! I hope it makes chopping herbs an easier task. Please contact me with your mailing address within 24 hours.

Thank you to everyone who entered. I really appreciate my readers and am so happy you enjoy reading my blog (and hopefully making my recipes) as much as I enjoy sharing my meals with you. Happy Cooking!