What A Great List

Here is a link to the Food Network's 100 recipes in 2007. Wow, I can't wait to start cooking in '08. Enjoy!! :)

Feta Pepper Dip

This has been the other recipe sitting on my desk to share.

8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise or plain yogurt
1/2 cup pickled peppers (pepperoncini), finely chopped
1/4 cup scallions, sliced
1/2 tsp. lemon zest, minced
Black pepper to taste
EVOO
Toasted & salted Pita Chips ( I like Stacy's brand)

Blend feta, cream cheese and mayo in a food processor until smooth, scraping down sides a couple of times. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Fold in peppers, scallions, lemon zest and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and chill at least 1 hour.

Drizzle dip with EVOO and garnish with pepper. Serve with chips. Recipe also calls to serve with BBQ chips.

Note: You must like the pepperoncini peppers to like this (the green pickled peppers that come with Olive Garden salads and Papa Johns pizza). We love them and really loved this dip. You could substitute other fun medaterranian items in this too (olives, red peppers, etc)--the base is fantastic. It's milk but really has a lot of flavor. make sure the peppers are small enough they don't overpower in a single bite.

This is from Cuisine at Home--my favorite magazine and recipe source!

Heather
Kentucky

Easy Beef Stew--yummy too!

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 cups carrots chopped
2 large potatoes, cut in 1/2 inch chunks
1 cup fresh green beans, in bite-sized pieces (or one can)
1 lb. beef stew meat (I like to trim mine of fat and cut into bite sized pieces)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 clove garlic, crushed ( i don't use, but for those who love it)
3 cups beef stock
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
pepper to taste

Put everything in the crock pot and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 4-6. (The longer the better). Cook until beef is tender and the potatoes are fork tender. Stir once or twice as it cooks, if possible.

About 30 minutes before serving the stew needs to be thickened. You can do it two different ways:

Method 1: Transfer a ladleful of the broth to a small mixing bowl. Add 3 Tbsp. flour and 2 tsp. tomato paste and whisk until smooth. Stir the mixture into the stew and cook for an additional 1/2 hour.

Method 2: Mix equal parts room temperature softened butter and flour. This is called a Beurre manie'. I generally do 1/4 cup of each and if there is extra you can save it in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap. Transfer a ladleful of the stew broth into a bowl and whisk in about 2-3 Tbsp. of the beurre manie till dissolved. Stir back into the stew and cook for an additional 1/2 hour. If it needs to be thickened more, you can stir this right into the crock pot if you work with it to make sure it gets dissolved.

I like the butter method better (obviously! who wouldn't, but the other way is a little healthier and I do the other cause Reed doesn't really like tomato). This really is great cause it cooks all day and is so EASY.

Adapted from on old Family Fun recipe.

Heather
Kentucky

PS--Jamie, I hope I did this right.

Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound of turkey sausage
1 yellow onion, chopped*
8 oz bag of Tortellinis
3 (8 oz) can of tomato soup
3 (8 oz) cans of water
2 zucchini, sliced into quarter slices
3 carrots, sliced
1 can of green beans
1 teaspoon of oregano

Directions:

In a big pot, cook the turkey sausage and the onion until brown. Add the tomato soup, water, the zucchini, carrots, green beans, oregano and tortellini and cook for 20 minutes or until tortellini and vegetables are cooked. Depending on the consistency that you like, you might want to add more water. It'll make the difference between stew or soup.

*If it's a large onion, you only need to use half of the onion.

Linda
Colorado

Classic Baked Penne Casserole

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

8 ounces of Penne pasta, cooked and drained

1/2 pound ground beef, cooked and drained (add some spices while cooking if desired)

1 26-ounce jar of your favorite pasta sauce (or about 3 cups of your homemade sauce)

2 c. Mozzarella cheese, shredded (you can also add a little parmesan cheese if you have it on hand)

Parsley, dried or fresh and chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together cooked pasta, beef, sauce and 1 c. of the shredded cheese. Place pasta mixture into baking dish and cover with lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Take dish out of the oven and remove cover, top with remaining 1 c. of shredded cheese and sprinkle with parsley. Bake for another 8-10 minutes. This recipe can be double easily and cooked in a 10x13 baking pan.

Jamie

Kentucky

Chocolate Pecan Tart

By Everyday Food

Makes 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
4 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 2 teaspoons, chilled and cut into small pieces
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
1 1/3 cups pecan halves
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
1 store-bought refrigerated pie crust (not in a pie plate)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pie dough to a 12-inch round, about an inch thick. Wrap dough around rolling pin, and unwrap over a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press dough into bottom and up sides of pan; trim edge of dough.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, light corn syrup, 4 teaspoons melted unsalted butter, and the vanilla. Scatter chocolate evenly over tart shell. Pour filling over chocolate. Arrange pecans on top, as desired. Dot with 2 teaspoons chilled butter.
3. Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until filling is set, 45 to 60 minutes. If pecans are browning too quickly, tent pan with foil. Remove from oven; while still hot, drizzle with bourbon, if desired. Let tart cool completely before serving.

Angela
California

Cheese Sauce

From Grandma B.

This is a must have at Thanksgiving. You haven't eaten broccoli until you've smothered it with this excellent cheese sauce.

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz) cream cheese
milk - small amount
1/2 t. garlic
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
small amount cheddar cheese

Directions:

Melt all together over low heat.

Jamie
Kentucky

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Perfect for a winter's day

Serves 4-6
Total time: under 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
1 onion, cut into medium dice
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli (or fresh
broccoli, which I really like and is just as easy.)
1 quart chicken broth
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole or 2% milk
1 pinch salt to taste
4-8 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

Melt butter over medium heat in a stockpot. Cook onion in butter until softened. Add garlic and pepper; cook for 1 minute then stir in broccoli, and stir in chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer until broccoli is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile whisk flour into milk until dissolved. Stir into soup stirring frequently until thickened. Take 1/2 the soup and put it in the blender and blend it up. Then put it back in the pot. Reduce heat, and stir in cheese until melted and heated through. Season with salt to taste.

Angela
California

Cinnamon Bread Delight

From Allrecipes.com
Makes 24 servings (2 loaves)

My husband calls it the devil's bread. It's that good! Especially when it's warm and you spread all sorts of butter onto it. :)

PREP TIME 20 Min
COOK TIME 1 Hr
READY IN 1 Hr 20 Min

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 (5.1 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease two 5x9 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, mix the milk, oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla. Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture until smooth. Sprinkle the bottoms of the loaf pans with cinnamon sugar, and divide the batter between the 2 pans.
3. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean.

Jamie
Kentucky

Creamy Cauliflower Puree

From South Beach Diet
Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 cups cauliflower florets
1/2 ounce butter-flavored spray (or 1 tbsp of butter or to taste)
1/2 ounce fat-free half & half (or 1/2 ounce milk or to desired thickness)
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Steam or microwave the cauliflower until soft. Puree in a food processor, adding the butter spray and the half-and-half to taste. Season with salt and pepper.


Nutritional Information:
81 calories
6 total fat (2 g sat)
4 mg cholesterol
5 g carbohydrate
2 g protein
3 g fiber
82 mg sodium

Jamie
Kentucky

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

My kids love this dish...we have it at least once a week.

http://allrecipes.com/

PREP TIME
5 Min
COOK TIME
10 Min
READY IN
15 Min
SERVINGS & SCALING
Original recipe yield: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
2 pounds tilapia fillets

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.
Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

MY MODIFICATIONS
I substitute dijon mustard for the mayonnaise.
I use Bertoli's Shredded Italian Cheese Blend instead of parmesan.

Presentation tip: Place the fish fillets rounded side down so when you flip them you end up with the nice side.

Roxanne
Colorado

http://www.roxannebur.blogspot.com/

Black Bean Soup

From Real Simple

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups fresh salsa
2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 16-ounce can refried black beans
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a saucepan or large pot over medium heat. Add the salsa and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Add the refried beans, black beans, and broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls. Top with some of the remaining salsa and the sour cream and cilantro (if using).

Jamie
Kentucky

Carne Asada

From South Beach Diet
4 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes
Start to finish: 25minutes

Ingredients:

1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
1 (11⁄2-pound) flank steak, about 1 inch thick
1 large red onion, sliced into 1⁄4-inch-thick rounds
1⁄2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small avocado, sliced into 1⁄4-inch-thick pieces
1 cup fresh tomato salsa

Directions:

1. In a 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish, combine lime juice, garlic, pepper, and salt. Add steak and turn to coat. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and marinate steak at room temperature for 20 minutes, turning once.
2. Lightly coat a grill or grill pan with cooking spray and heat to medium-high. Grill or broil steak, basting with any remaining marinade, 5 to 7 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. While steak is resting, in a medium bowl toss onion with oil. Grill, turning occasionally, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Cut steak into thin slices across the grain and divide among 4 plates. Serve with onion, avocado, and salsa.

Serve with Black Bean Soup

Jamie
Kentucky

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

From Every Day with Rachael Ray
October 2007

Makes 12
Prep Time: 35 min
Bake Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, 1 stick melted, 1/2 stick softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 tsp plus 2 pinches salt
1 2/3 cups flour
4 ounces cream cheese, chilled
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the baking powder, the baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour.
3. Using an ice cream scoop or tablespoon, drop 12 generous mounds of batter, spaced evenly, onto each baking sheet. Bake until springy to the touch, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter with the cream cheese. Add the confectioners' sugar and the remaining 2 pinches salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; mix on low speed until blended, then beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
5. Spread the flat side of 12 cakes with the cream cheese frosting. Top each with another cake.

Note: I would make extra filling to balance out the cake and the filling. With the top and the bottom, there's a whole lotta cake.

Jamie
Kentucky

Come One, Come All

Our ward just released their 2007 tried and true recipe book. I bought mine and I can't wait to start using the recipes. I, being a very lazy person, never contributed to the recipe book and now regret it. Not that I have any "can't love without" recipes, but it would be nice to have my favorites compiled in a cookbook form. So with that being said, this blog is intended to become a virtual recipe box of our tried and true, favorite recipes. I encourage everyone and anyone to share their recipes with the rest of us. When you post please label your recipe as one of the following:

beverages
appetizers
brunch and breads
vegetables
pasta, rice and grains
soups and salads
meat and poultry
fish and seafood
desserts
cookies
everything else

Also, please use the color red to highlight any links you use to the website that hosts the recipe, i.e. Everyday with Rachael Ray in the recipe for Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.

Ultimately I would like to publish these recipes in a cookbook that will be available through Tastebook (thanks Ange for the link!). So please join in and share your beloved recipes with the rest of us.

*the image in the header was taken off the website vivirlatino.com. Thanks!