Hiatus

I have to apologize, but I have been a SLACKER!! I am 4 weeks away (hopefully sooner) from having a baby and I have been sick the entire 9 months. So food isn't not particularly what I care about these days. Sooooo, I'm going to put my recipe blog on hiatus for a couple of months and hopefully after the delivery and a baby sleeping through the night, I'll have the energy and the desire to cook again. Thanks for visiting my blog and I hope that there have been recipes that you have enjoyed. I promise this is not the end, but I do have to bid farewell just for a little bit. Thanks again!

Spaghetti Pie

Adapted from allrecipes
Makes 6 - 8 servings

Prep time:	35 Min
Cook time:	30 Min
Ready in:	1 Hr 5 Min

Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, quartered
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 (26 ounce) jar pasta sauce
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a skillet over medium heat, brown the grown beef, with onion, garlic, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Drain and add jar of pasta sauce and let that simmer for about 30 minutes while you cook the noodles. In a small bowl mix the sour cream and cream cheese then throw in the green onions and sprinkle in 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and mix the noodles in with the cream cheese mixture. Place the noodle/cheese mixture in the bottom of the 13x9 pan and pour spaghetti sauce over top and sprinkle with the mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

La Madeleine's Tomato-Basil Soup

From RecipeZaar
Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
• 4 cups fresh tomatoes, cored, peeled, and chopped (8-10) or canned whole tomatoes, crushed
• 4 cups tomato juice (or part vegetable or part chicken stock)
• 12-14 basil leaves, washed fresh
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 lb sweet unsalted butter
• salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• lemon juice (optional)

Directions:
Combine tomatoes, juice/and or stock in saucepan. Simmer 30 minutes. Puree, along with the basil leaves, in small batches, in blender, food processor (or better yet, one of those handy hand-held food blenders, right in the cooking pan). Return to saucepan and add cream and butter, while stirring, over low heat. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with your favorite bread.

Alteration:
"Once a year, in January I run a column of our most requested recipes -- This year, that column included the recipe for La Madeleine's popular tomato basil soup. I continue to get at least 10 calls a week asking for the recipe. So here it is, once again -- " This soup is wonderful. I used 2 jars of canned tomatoes. I sauted 1 med. onion and 12 cloves of garlic (cut in half) in olive oil until translucent. I added it to the tomato base mixture. I also added sugar. I used 1% milk, no butter, and used corn starch to thicken. The texture and flavor are completely awesome!. Excerpted from an article by Beverly Bundy of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram around May 20. 1994.

****As for me, I thought it was a little runnier than I would have liked, so next time I'll add a 2 tbsp water/1 tbsp cornstarch mixture to the soup.****

Jamie
Kentucky

Fusilli alla Caprese

from Giada De Laurentiis
Makes 4 - 6 servings


Ingredients:

1 pound fusilli pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 1 1/2 pints)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)

Directions:

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 into a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. In a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the basil leaves and mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the pasta is moist. Serve.

Jamie

Kentucky

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

From AllRecipes

"This tortilla soup tastes better than anything you can get at a restaurant. And it's healthy too! Don't let the long list of ingredients fool you. All you do is dump everything into the slow cooker and walk away. Garnish with grated Cheddar, avocadoes, and a splash of fresh lime juice."

INGREDIENTS
1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) diced tomatoes Rotel
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce (or 1 packet of taco seasoning)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 can of black beans
1 can of kidney beans, drained
Chopped red pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS
Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

Jamie
Kentucky

Last Minute Lasagna

Adapted from Real Simple

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 24- or 26-ounce jar pasta sauce
2 18-20-ounce refrigerated large cheese ravioli
1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed dry

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

1 zucchini, quartered

1 red pepper, diced
1 8-ounce bag shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 F. Saute mushrooms, zucchini, and red pepper in a 1 tbsp of olive oil. Spoon a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover with a single layer of ravioli. Top with half the spinach, half sauteed vegetables, half the mozzarella, and a third of the sauce. Repeat with another layer of ravioli and the remaining spinach, sauteed vegetables, mozzarella, and half the remaining sauce. Top with another layer of ravioli and the remaining sauce (not all the ravioli may be needed). Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Marinated Baked Pork Chops

From Carrie's Cooking

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
6 pork chops, trimmed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, thoroughly blend soy sauce, vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, and ketchup. Place pork chops in a medium baking dish, and spread with 1/2 the sauce. Bake pork chops 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Turn, and spread with remaining sauce. Continue baking 30 minutes, or until internal temperature of the chops has reached 160 degrees.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

From The Sisters' Cafe

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used 3 small chicken breasts)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (I tossed mine together in a ziploc bag in the morning and let it sit in the refrigerator all day). Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Banana Nut Bread

From A Bushel and a Peck

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cup sugar (although I use 1 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 med bananas, mashed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup nuts, chopped

Directions:
In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix together all other ingredients (except nuts). Add to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in nuts. Pour into a lightly greased and flour or parchment line 9X5X3 loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 mins. Cool on wire rack. NOTE: this recipe does not double well.

Zucchini Mozzarella Medley

From My Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:
3 cups sliced zucchini or other summer squash
1 cup sliced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 t. dried basil
1/4 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tomato, cut into 12 wedges
4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
In a large skillet, saute the zucchini, onion, garlic and seasonings in olive oil until crisp-tender (about five minutes). Gently stir in the tomato; sprinkle with cheese. Remove from the heat and let stand until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

California Chicken Marinade

From You Got Served

Ingredients:

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 cup water

Directions:

Marinate chicken strips all day. Broil for 10 minutes or so, depending on how thick you cut the strips. This also works great on chicken breasts on the grill.

Aunt Alecia's Chocolate Chip Cookies

From My Kitchen Cafe
Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3 extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon very hot water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3 1/2 cups flour
1 package chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream shortening and both sugars together until well mixed. Add eggs (extra-large eggs are really important - if I don't have that size I add 3 large eggs and then beat an additional egg in a bowl and add about half of the beaten egg) and mix for 5-7 minutes, until the batter is very, very light in color. Add hot water and mix again. Add salt, vanilla, soda and mix. Add flour and chocolate chips together and mix until combined. Drop cookies by rounded tablespoon (I use my trusty cookie scoop) onto parchment paper or silpat lined baking sheets and bake for 10-11 minutes until barely browned around the edges - don't overbake!

Jamie
Kentucky

Roasted Broccoli and Roasted Chicken

From RecipeStop

Roasted Broccoli

Take Broccoli and cut it in to small florets. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spread broccoli out on cookie sheet. Lightly pour or spray olive oil over the broccoli and toss to coat the pieces so they are shiny. Spread out on pan in one layer and salt and pepper to taste. Put in a 425 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until the ends look brown and toasty, then turn over add salt and pepper to taste, and roast for 5-10 minutes more. This has become one of our favorite vegetables and we eat it like its popcorn! You can also do the same technique with sweet potatoes, tomato slices, onions, carrots, green peppers , cauliflower, and potatoes.

Roasted Chicken

I like to make this when I am already going to be cooking something else in the oven, like roasting chicken breasts. I will just take chicken and toss in olive oil, add salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash and roast for about 40 minutes until done. When there is about 30 minutes left, I just add the broccoli on a cookie sheet on the other shelf in the oven so that everything is done about the same time.

Jamie
Kentucky

Italian Chicken Pastina

From My Kitchen Cafe (photo courtesy as well)


Ingredients

1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta - I used cellantani)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis

Jamie
Kentucky

Beef-Broccoli Lo Mein

From Cooking Light
Serves 6

Ingredients

4 cups hot cooked spaghetti (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut oil (I substituted with sesame oil)
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chopped broccoli
1 1/2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed and cut across the grain into long, thin strips
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce (I omitted)
1 tablespoon chile paste with garlic (I omitted)

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Combine pasta and sesame oil, tossing well to coat.

While pasta cooks, heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add broccoli and onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add steak, and sauté 5 minutes or until done. Add pasta mixture, soy sauce, and remaining ingredients; cook 1 minute or until lo mein is thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.

****I need to figure out a way to cook the meat beforehand so that it's more tender, cooking it with the broccoli toughened it up a little too much for my liken.****

Jamie
Kentucky

Black Bean Couscous Salad

From Julie R.
Serves 12

Ingredients:

1 cup couscous
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice (lemon if you're out)
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp cumin
4-8 green onions
1 red bell pepper
1/4 cup cilantro
1 cup thawed, frozen corn or small can corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
A handful of grape tomatoes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Boil the chicken broth and then stir in the couscous.

Cover, remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes. (think Minute Rice)

Combine oil, juice, vinegar, cumin in a small bowl.

Chop onion, red pepper, and cilantro.

Fluff couscous with fork.

Toss all ingredients in large bowl.

Tastes good the next day!

Jamie
Kentucky

Honey Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

From The Joy of Cooking and Lugubrious Delights
Makes 2 9x5 loaves

Ingredients:

4 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/4 cup warm (105*F-115*F) water, divided
1 cup warm (105*F-115*F) milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon salt
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 - 3 cups bread flour

Instructions:

Dissolve yeast completely in 1/4 cup warm water, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine remaining 1 cup water, milk, butter, honey, and salt. Stir gently until honey and salt dissolve. Add liquids to yeast mixture, stirring until combined. Add all of the whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup bread flour; beat on medium-low speed until well-combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add another 1 1/2 cups bread flour and beat on low until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead in enough remaining flour to make a soft, non-sticky dough. Place in an oiled bowl, turning to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Turn dough out, knead briefly, and return to bowl (re-oil if necessary). Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down, then throw down onto a lightly floured surface to break up air bubbles. Knead briefly if necessary. Divide into 2, form each half into a loaf, and placed in a greased loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray and let rise until dough crests nicely above the pan, about 1 hour.

Bake at 450*F for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350*F and continue baking for another 25 minutes, until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

****You can skip the second rising unless you want your bread lighter. Also, I baked the bread at 450* F for 10 minutes and it was already pretty brown on top, so I covered each loaf with aluminum foil, forming a tent, and baked at 350* F for 20 minutes and it came out perfect.****

Jamie
Kentucky

Chicken Fried Rice

From Sun Bird
Makes 5 servings, about 1 cup each

Ingredients:

1/3 cup chopped, cooked chicken (beef, pork or shrimp)
2 tbsp oil
3 cup cooked, cold rice (white, brown, or instant)
3 green onions, sliced
1 package of Sun Bird fried rice seasoning (it's the only brand I have tried, so I can't vouch for any other brand)
1 tsp soy sauce
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup frozen peas (or peas and carrots), cooked

Instructions:

Cook meat, rice and frozen peas according to package directions. In a large skillet, heat oil; stir-fry cold rice and green onions. Add seasoning and soy sauce; stir-fry 1 minute. Push rice to the side, add eggs, scramble; stir in rice. Add peas and meat, if desired.

Jamie
Kentucky

Calico Bean Casserole

From Jen G.
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger
1 lb bacon (you can as little as 1/4 lb if you like)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 can pork and beans
1 can Great Northern beans, drained
1 can kidney beans. drained
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 T vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 T dry or prepared mustard

Instructions:

Brown the meats seperately. After the meats are cooked and drained, combine everything in a crockpot. Set the crockpot to low and cook for 6 to 8 hours. If you don't want to use a slow
cooker, you can bake at 300 for 90 minutes.

Jamie
Kentucky

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken and Bell Pepper Sandwiches

From MyRecipes (Cooking Light, July 2005)
Serves 6


Ingredients:

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 1/4 pounds chicken breast tenders
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, divided
2 cups red bell pepper strips (about 2 medium)
2 cups vertically sliced onion (about 1 large)
2 (8-ounce) loaves focaccia bread, cut in half horizontally
4 ounces provolone cheese, thinly sliced
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt over chicken. Add chicken to pan; cook 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned. Add 1/4 cup vinegar; cook 2 minutes or until chicken is done and vinegar is syrupy. Remove chicken mixture from the pan; cover and keep warm. Wipe pan clean with a paper towel.

Return pan to medium-high heat; add remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Add bell pepper and onion; sauté 7 minutes or until tender. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 cup vinegar; cook 1 minute or until vinegar is syrupy.

Arrange chicken mixture evenly over bottom halves of bread; top with bell pepper mixture. Arrange cheese over pepper mixture, and sprinkle with black pepper. Top with top halves of bread. Place a cast-iron or heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; let stand 5 minutes. Cut each sandwich into 6 wedges.

Jamie
Kentucky

Fresh Herb-Coated Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Mushroom Gravy

From MyRecipes (Cooking Light, March 2005)
Serves 4


Ingredients:

Beef:
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks
Cooking spray

Gravy:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 (8-ounce) package presliced cremini mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450°.

Combine first 5 ingredients. Coat both sides of steaks with cooking spray; rub steaks evenly with thyme mixture. Place steaks on rack of a broiler or roasting pan coated with cooking spray; bake at 450° for 8 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from oven; keep warm.

To prepare gravy, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon thyme, mushrooms, and 4 garlic cloves; cook 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add broth and wine; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half (about 4 minutes).

Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Serve with steaks.

Jamie

Kentucky

Fake Orange Julius

From Robbie's Recipes
Serves 2


Ingredients:

6 oz can frozen concentrated orange juice
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
8 or more ice cubes

Instructions:

Pour all ingredients, minus ice cubes, into a blender. Blend and add one ice cube at a time, until smooth and the consistency is to your liking.

Jamie
Kentucky

Whole Wheat Bread

From Traci U.
Makes 4 loaves


Ingredients:

5 cups hot water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cups rolled oats
4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. yeast
10 cups whole wheat flour (or you can use 7 whole wheat and 3 white)

Instructions:

Add all ingredients in a mixer in the order listed above, mixing as you are adding. Keep adding beyond the 10 cups of flour (usually 3 to 4 more) until dough pulls away from the side of the mixing bowl. Let knead 6 to 7 minutes. Lay on a floured surface and divide in to 4 loaves, do not tear, but cut with a knife. Shape and put in pans to raise until doubled in size. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

***I use my professional 5 kitchen aid with a 5 quart bowl and I almost ruined the motor trying to knead 13 cups of flour, so I will half this recipe next time and only make 2 loaves at a time. Hope that helps.***

Jamie
Kentucky

Chocolate Saltine Toffee

Ingredients:

1 box of Saltines
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 to 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I prefer milk chocolate over semi-sweet)

Instructions:

Foil and lightly grease a jelly roll pan. Line the pan evenly with saltines. Boil 1 cup butter and 1 cup brown sugar for 5 minutes stirring frequently while boiling. Pour evenly over saltines and bake in 350 degree oven for 5 minutes, watch carefully. Immediately remove from oven, put chocolate chips on top and frost after melted. Sprinkle with chopped nuts or toffee pieces, if desired. Refrigerate and break into pieces when hard. Tastes best when served cold.

Jamie
Kentucky

Pork Saltimbocca with White Wine Sauce

This is from Rachel Ray

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon, divided
• 1 pork tenderloin (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds)
• 6 thin slices prosciutto, cut in half
• 12 sage leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 cup white wine
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 pound fresh fettuccine or linguine
• 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends and stalks removed
• 1/2 cup (about a handful) basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

Serve it up by giving everyone some pasta and three pork cutlets per plate topped with a nice spoonful of your white wine sauce. Don't forget to tell them about the toothpick!

Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring it to a boil for your pasta. Pour the heavy cream and lemon zest into a small pot and place it over medium heat. Bring the cream up to a bubble, then reduce the heat and simmer it until thickened, about 10 minutes.

While the cream is reducing, prepare the pork cutlets by cutting the tenderloin into 12 equal pieces. Place the pieces, one or two at a time, into a zipper lock plastic bag with a splash of water. Pound them out with a meat mallet or small cast iron skillet until they're about a quarter-inch thick (just eyeball it).

Once all of the pork is pounded out, assemble the saltimbocca by laying a half slice of prosciutto and one sage leaf onto each pork cutlet. Stick everything together with a toothpick by poking down through the top then back up from the bottom, like you’re putting a pin through fabric. Season both sides of each portion with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

With all of your pork assembled, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Cook the cutlets until lightly golden and cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Pour the white wine into the pan and continue cooking for about 2 minutes more.

While the pork cooks in the wine, combine the butter and flour in a small dish, stirring it together with a spoon. After cooking for a couple of minutes, remove the pork to a plate and add the butter-flour mixture to the pan, whisking to combine it. Cook the sauce until thickened up, 2-3 minutes, then remove it from the heat.

Once you've added the butter-flour mixture to the pan, drop the fresh pasta into the boiling water and cook to al dente according to package directions. When you've got about a minute of cooking time left on the pasta, drop the asparagus tips into the water as well so they get some time to cook up.

When the pasta's ready, drain it and the asparagus and combine them with the reduced cream and the lemon juice, basil, and grated Parmigiano Reggiano, giving it a nice turn to coat it.

Serve it up by giving everyone some pasta and three pork cutlets per plate topped with a nice spoonful of your white wine sauce. Don't forget to tell them about the toothpick!

Addie Colorado

Asain Chicken Salad

From My Kitchen Cafe (adapted from The Dinner Doctor)
Make 4 - 6 servings

Photo courtesy of My Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:

1 package (3 ounces) oriental-flavor ramen noodle soup mix (I often use two packages of the noodles to give my kids more crunch to eat - at 14 cents a pop, I figure I can afford the splurge)
½ cup pre-sliced almonds
¾ cup bottled red wine vinaigrette (or make your own following the simple recipe below)
1/2 package (16 ounces) coleslaw mix or broccoli slaw mix (I use the broccoli slaw)
1 package romaine lettuce
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
2 scallions, both white and light green parts, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Break up the ramen noodles with your hands and place them and the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the noodles and almonds turn light brown, 6 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the red wine vinaigrette into a measuring cup (or make your own with the recipe below) and stir in the packet of seasoning from the ramen noodle soup mix. Set the salad dressing aside. Place the slaw mix (I only use 1/2 bag), romaine lettuce, chicken, cilantro and scallions in a large serving bowl.

Toss to combine the ingredients well. Just before serving, pour the salad dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Scatter the toasted almonds and noodles on top and serve.

Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette

Whisk together:
¾ cup vegetable oil
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon black pepper
Ramen noodles seasoning packet

Jamie
Kentucky

Quinoa and Zucchini Salad

From 101 Cookbooks
Makes 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 large avocado, ripe
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup lightly packed cilantro
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
3 large eggs
1 large zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch thick coins
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
couple pinches of fine grain sea salt
2 cups quinoa, cooked, room temperature
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup goat cheese (or feta cheese), crumbled
a bit of chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions:

Prepare the cilantro-avocado dressing by blending the avocado, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, yogurt, water, and salt in a blender (or us a hand blender). Set aside.

Hard boil the three eggs. Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by a 1/2-inch or so. Bring to a gentle boil. Now turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for exactly seven minutes. Have a big bowl of ice water ready and when the eggs are done cooking place them in the ice bath for three minutes or so - long enough to stop the cooking. Set aside.

While the eggs are cooling start preparing the zucchini by tossing it with olive oil and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Prepare your grill (medium-high heat). If you are worried about the zucchini coins falling through the grill you can thread them onto kabob skewers (stab through the green skin). Grill until zucchini are tender and cooked through, roughly 5 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill and cut each zucchini coin into quarters. If you don't grill, you can saute the zucchini as well.

Crack and peel each egg, cut each egg into quarters lengthwise. Assemble the salad by tossing the quinoa with about 2/3 cups of the avocado vinaigrette. Top with the grilled zucchini, pine nuts, eggs, goat cheese, and a bit of chopped cilantro for garnish. I serve this family-style, but you could do individual platings.

***Benefits of quinoa: Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and followed in third place by maize. In contemporary times this crop has come to be highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete food. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten free and considered easy to digest. (source)***

Jamie
Kentucky

BBQ Pork for Sandwiches

From AllRepices
Makes 12 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
3 pounds boneless pork ribs
1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
6 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
Extra barbecue sauce for dressing

DIRECTIONS

1. Pour can of beef broth into slow cooker, and add boneless pork ribs. Cook on High heat for 4 hours, or until meat shreds easily. Remove meat, and shred with two forks. It will seem that it's not working right away, but it will.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Transfer the shredded pork to a Dutch oven or iron skillet, and stir in barbeque sauce.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until heated through.

Great with Tasty Buns recipe and Sweet Potato Fries.

Some notes from the reviews: I followed a previous reviewer and added 1 tsp. liquid smoke to the slow cooker. Next time I may add a little more for a "smokier" taste.

This is SO EASY! You can use roast instead of ribs. Put the roast and broth in the crock pot for about 6-8 hours. Then take the meat out and shred it with a fork. Add your favorite bottled sauce and put it in the oven for about 30 minutes. This is perfect if you know you're going to have a busy day and won't want to cook dinner later. Just buy some baked beans and potato salad or chips and you have an easy dinner!

I made my own barbecue sauce from a Taste Of Home recipe i have for pork ribs. Plain bottled sauce seemed like it wouldn't taste good. The recipe i used for the sauce is: 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup ketchup 1/4 cup chili sauce 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp chopped onions 1 tbsp lemon juice 1/2 tsp ground mustard 1 clove garlic, minced dash cayenne pepper Combine all sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Jamie
Kentucky

Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic and Herbs

From Epicurious

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-wide slices, then again into 1/2-inch-wide strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley (or dried)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 garlic clove, minced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500°F. Spray large baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Toss sweet potatoes with oil in large bowl. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 30 minutes. Transfer sweet potatoes to platter. Mix parsley, thyme and garlic in small bowl. Sprinkle over sweet potatoes.

Jamie
Kentucky

Tasty Buns (homemade hamburger buns)

From AllRecipes
Makes 12 servings


Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

5 cups all-purpose flour
2 (.25 ounce) packages dry yeast
1 cup milk
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Stir together 2 cups flour and the yeast. In a separate bowl, heat milk, water, oil, sugar and salt to lukewarm in microwave. Add all at once to the flour mixture, and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.
2. Mix in enough flour to make a soft dough, 2 to 3 cups. Mix well. Dust a flat surface with flour, turn dough out onto floured surface, and let rest under bowl for about 10 minutes.
3. Shape dough into 12 slightly flat balls, and place on greased baking sheet to rise until doubled in size.
4. Bake in a preheated 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

*Note: Read the comments on the AllRecipes link for great ideas. Sesame Seeds are optional.

Jamie
Kentucky

Quick Balsamic Chicken

Serves 2

Ingredients:

tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup diced red or orange bell pepper
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup low-salt, nonfat chicken broth

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sautee until onion becomes clear and garlic is aromatic. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on both sides of each chicken breast and brown, cooking about 2 minutes. Add bell pepper, mushrooms, oregano, and thyme before flipping chicken. Once browned, remove chicken and vegetables to a rimmed cookie sheet or baking dish, and finish cooking in the middle of the oven, about 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, add balsamic vinegar to the hot pan and reduce until almost completely evaporated. Add chicken broth and stir to release all the browned bits. Season pan sauce to taste, and once chicken is done, briefly toss in the pan with vegetables and accumulated juices to coat. Serve. You can serve over brown rice, couscous or on top of mixed greens.

Jamie
Kentucky

Funky Chicken with Sesame Noodles

From www.thematzats.blogspot.com

I loved the chicken part of this recipe, though I did modify it a bit in the way I prepared it. I cubed the chicken and then marinated it. I put almost all of the marinade in the large skillet with the chicken and cooked it on high. The marinade kind of carmelized and made a nice sauce as it reduced.

The noodles were a bit strong for me. The sesame oil was a bit much and was a stronger flavor than I expected. The next time I make this I will drastically reduce the amount of sesame oil I use in the recipe. I also substitued Splenda for the sugar, which worked great.

Ingredients:

Sesame Noodles
1 lb spaghettini (get the thinnest spaghetti you can find)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/3 cup sugar
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sesame seeds

Funky Chicken

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts sesame oil, for sauteeing

Directions:

First make the sesame noodes:
Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.
In a jar, add the soy sauce, sesame oil and the sugar.
Shake until well blended and the sugar has dissolved.
Pour this over the pasta.
Toss with scallions and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
Set aside while you marinate and then cook the chicken.

Funkying the chicken:
In a bowl mix the soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, garlic, brown sugar and the ginger.
Make sure the sugar has pretty much dissolved.
Add the chicken, making sure it's all coated with the sauce.
Cover and stick in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, and toss out the marinade left at the bottom of the bowl.
Heat the sesame oil in a large non-stick pan.
Add the chicken in batches and saute for about 10 minutes, or until done, adding more sesame oil as needed.
Remove the chicken from the pan and let cool slightly.
Slice the chicken diagonally into thin strips.
Serve the chicken over the sesame noodles.

(recipe source - recipe zaar)

Jamie
Kentucky

Balsamic and Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

From Eating Well
Makes 4 servings (about 1 cup each)
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
8 cups 1-inch-thick slices cauliflower (about 1 large head)
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Toss cauliflower, oil, marjoram, salt and pepper. Roast on a large rimmed baking sheet until starting to soften and brown on the bottom, 15 to 20 minutes. Toss the cauliflower with vinegar and sprinkle with cheese. Return to the oven and roast until the cheese is melted and any moisture has evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Jamie
Kentucky