Sweet Sam

Pork Chops with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

2008-04-28T21:44:00.003-05:00

I made this tonight and it was fabulous! It was really a great way to livin up pork chops (which I love.) I got the recipe out of my free trial of Cook's Country magazine, which I'm pretty sure is affiliated with America's Test Kitchen. Once DH and I get moved and settled I'm definitely going to subscribe to it and would recommend it to everyone else!

Like I said before, I really enjoyed this dish and look forward to making it again. I had a lot of leftover sauce - since DH is went really light on it and I didn't use 4 pork chops - so I plan on pouring over spaghetti or egg noodles for lunch tomorrow. No need to put it to waste!

And the best part is....it's a 30 minute meal!

As for notes, there's not many. I followed the recipe really closely, making only a few minor changes. My sauce did turn out looking different though. In the magazine's picture the peppers are more minced than mine which I just roughly chopped. Also, my proportions may have been off because I just had to eyeball 12 oz. from a 15 oz. jar. But it still tasted great so that's all that really matters right!? ; )

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 bone-in rib or center-cut pork chops, about 1 inch thick
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 onion, sliced thin
6 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 (12 oz.) jar roasted red pepper, drained and chopped
2 tsp light brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (I used a dash of dried)

Directions:

1. Pat chops dry with paper towels adn season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over med-high heat until just smoking. Add chops and cook until well browned and meat registers 145-degrees, about 5 min per side. Transfer to serving platter and tent with foil.

2. Add onion to empy skillet and cook until softened, about 5 min. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in brother, cream, roasted peppers, and sugar and simmer, scraping up any browned bits with wooden spoon, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 min. Off heat, add any accumulated pork juices back to pan and stir in basil. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chops. Serve.

Personal Update

2008-04-26T00:16:00.005-05:00

So you can all see what I've been working with this whole time....that is my current kitchen! (Since these pics the table has been moved and there's a freezer in its place.) And my "oven." = )

Aren't you just green with envy? lol.

Well DH and I have decided that we are going to be moving afterall! I'm super excited. We're going in the morning (it's midnight right now) to go look at apartments, but think we've already made our choice. I only have one more week of classes then one week of finals and we're free to move! Yay! One big relief is Scott's already found a place that's ready to hire him as soon as we get settled and then I've found a few places I would like to work at. So it all seems to be falling into place....so far.

I've also finally got my camera back up and running so I'm going back through and adding pics to some of my recent pic-less posts.

Edited Posts: Carrot Cake, Apple Turnovers, and My Chicken Parmesan.

More edits to come: Stuffed Portobellos and Yummy Honey Chicken Kabobs (for some reason the uploader is taking forever.)

On a break

2008-04-08T01:10:00.002-05:00

Right now I'm kind of on a break while DH and I figure out the plan for the next year. We're kind of drastically changing our plans (I will update once they're more set), but the changes will definitely be positive. I'm also trying to catch up on some school stuff so I really need to stay away from any superfluous comp usage for a while to get my grades up for the end of the semester. I have soo much to do I'm a little overwhelmed, so cooking and posting is going to be put on the backburner until I get to a comfortable place.

Linguine with Shrimp and Veggies

2008-03-13T13:05:00.003-05:00

Another post from my new cookbook The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger. This made for a very tasty lunch today!

Notes:

Since I can't go out and purchase a bottle of white wine and I didn't have any on hand I used veggie broth and a couple splashes of white grape juice instead.
I used spaghetti instead of linguine because it's what I had on hand.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

3/4 box (12 oz) linguine
2 Tbls. olive oil
1 bunch (~1 lb) asparagus, woody bottoms removed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp)
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook the linguine according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and the asparagus is tender but firm, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove shrimp mixture from the pan and set aside.

Combine the lemon juice, wine, and reserved pasta water in hte skillet over medium-high heat. Let simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half. Return the shrimp and asparagus to the pan and stir in the parsley. Add the drained linguine, tossingto combine. Add the tomatoes and toss. Sprinkle with cheese, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Apple Turnovers

2008-03-06T13:13:00.004-06:00

Another new pick from my new cookbook, The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger. I am seriously addicted to these they are so tasty. It was my first experience with phyllo dough and I think it was very successful. These were really easy to make once I got the hang of it. There's really not much else to say!

Notes:

I didn't think Scott would like the cranberries so I left them out.
I don't know what happened, but somehow I ended up with enough apple mixture for 16 turnovers rather than 8 so I doubled everything else to use it all up (ladyfingers, phyllo dough, and canola oil). I really don't see how I could possibly have fit all those apples into the first 8. *shrugs shoulders*
Also, my turnovers did not take the full 20 minutes to bake, so I would keep an eye on them after about the 15 minutes mark.

Yield: 8 turnovers

Ingredients:

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/3 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tablespoon cold water
6 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
3 Tablespoons canola oil
4 ladyfinger cookies, crushed
Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large nonstick skillet, combine the apples, cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the juices in the skillet thicken, another 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Lay a sheet of phyllo on a large cutting board and brush with the oil. Top with a second sheet and brush with the oil. Sprinkle half o fhte crushed cookies on top. Add another sheet of phyllo and brush with the oil. Cut the layered phyllo into 4 long strips (I ended up doing my width-wise to use up more apple mixture). Put a small mound of the apple mixture about an inch from the bottom of one strip and fold the phyllo over the mixture into a triangle shape so a turnover is formed. Repeat with the other three strips. Repeat the whole process again with the remaining three sheets of phyllo so that you wind up with 8 turnovers. Be sure to reserve a little oil to brush the top of each turnover.

coat a baking sheet with cooking spray, place the turnovers on the sheet, brush the tops with the remaining oil, and bake until nicely browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo

2008-03-05T14:00:00.003-06:00

My first recipe-test from my new cookbook The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger and it turned out great! I love it and am looking forward to eating on it the next few days for lunch - it was even better the second day!

I usually don't eat very much soup because I never feel full because there's nothing really crunchy, so this time I bought a french baguette and toasted it with some EVOO like Giada does and it is the perfect accompaniment to this delicious soup.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Notes:

I always use less onion than recipes call for. ; )
I also added more chicken because it just didn't look like enough to me.

Ingredients:

4 t olive oil
8 oz. sk/bnless chicken breast halves, cut into small junks
Pinch of salt, plus more to taste
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium carrot, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons copped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup orzo, preferably whole-wheat
2 large eggs
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat 2 t of the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the salt, add it to the pot, and cook, stirring, a few times, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a dish and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 t oil to the pot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and thyme and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 5 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and let simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Turn the heat down to low to keep te soup hot but not boiling.

Warm the remaining 1 cup broth in a small saucepan until it is hot but not boiling. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Gradually whisk the lemon juice into the eggs. Then gradually add the hot broth to the egg-lemon mixture, whisking all the while. Add the mixture to the soup, stirring well until the soup is thickened. Do not let the soup come to a boil. Add the cooked chicken to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and serve!

Slacker

2008-03-02T22:25:00.002-06:00

I've been slacking way too much over the past few weeks when it comes to cooking. Been kinda stressed out and busy, but I should get going again soon.

Saturday I got "The Food You Crave" cookbook by Ellie Krieger and I'm super excited. I went through and bookmarked everything that I want to try at first glance and am making at least 2 this week. I would try more, but I need to take baby steps for Scott! I'm also determined to lose 15 lbs. and try to be healthier. This whole Freshman 15 thing is no fun! So I might try to blog about that too as a self-motivator (no promises though.) : )

Carrot Cake III

2008-02-12T01:54:00.002-06:00

The past few weeks Scott has been having to work nights (luckily not anymore), so finally Thursday night I was bored out of my mind and decided to attempt not only my first layer cake, frosted cake, but also my first cake from scratch. And we think it turned out well! Scott really liked it aside from all the pecans, so he will compliment it - it must be good!

Keep in mind that this was my first ever layer cake so I made some simple mistakes like frosting too soon and um...not having a cake stand! So I just had to make due with a regular plate. But it tasted good so that's all that really mattered. ; ) Also, my spring-form pan was an inch smaller than recommended so I made some cupcakes with the extra batter (sp?).

I got the recipe off of allrecipes.com and followed all the adjustments from the first review. Any additional adjustments I think I'll make later will be under Notes.

Notes:

I used 2 8x8 cake pans (all the store had) and then made 4 cupcakes from the leftover batter.
Next time, I'll use less pecans, if any, in the batter for Scott, and probably won't add the pineapple either, simply because of texture.

Yield: 1 9x13 cake, 1 2-layer 8x8 or 9x9 inch cake

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots (~ 1 lb.)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 8-oz. can of crushed pineapple, juice squeezed out
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
Cream Cheese Frosting recipe below.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour either a 9x13 or 2 9x9 cake pans.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, applesauce, both sugars, pineapple, and 3 t of vanilla extract. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan(s).

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cook in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Frosting:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 c confectioner's sugar (poster measurements vary from 3-4 cups)
1 t vanilla extract
1 c chopped pecans

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine first 4 ingredients. Beat until smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans (I reserved all for garnish.) Frost the cooled cake.

My Chicken Parmesan

2008-02-12T01:16:00.003-06:00

I have become incredibly picky when it comes to Chicken Parmesan since I started making my own. I finally got the original recipe off my old computer, just to find out that I've deviated from it a lot, so I'm providing what I do because I love it too much to go back to the original.

Notes:

This is my own homemade recipe, so if it's hard to understand just let me know and I'll try to fix the problem!
The measurements of the flour, buttermilk, breadcrumbs, and cheese are total estimates b/c this is the one recipe that I don't measure out anymore. So take them with a grain of salt and adjust to what you need. ; ) This is not a picky recipe at all.
I always serve with a marinara sauce, on a bed of spaghetti, and with a side garlic bread; but Ina Garten serves hers with a Lemon Vinaigrette.

Yield: 2-4 servings, but can easily be adjusted

Ingredients:

2 sk/bn less chicken breasts (3/4 - 1 lb.)
1/2 cup flour
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (I actually really like Shurfine)
1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese, extra for garnish
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
~ 2 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and whole or minced
salt and pepper

Special tools: Parchment paper, meat tenderizer (with flat side) or rolling pin.

Directions:

Between two pieces of Parchment paper, pound chicken breasts to a uniform 1/4" thickness.

Combine butermilk, mozzarella, and parmesan in good dish for dredging. Lay out breadcrumbs in dish or parchment paper. Set aside.

Heat oil and garlic in heavy, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Keep an eye on the garlic, you don't want it to burn!

Dust chicken with flour -- a thin, uniform coat and shaking off excess -- and then s&p both sides. Dip both sides of chicken in buttermilk-cheese mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge in Italian breadcrumbs.

Remove garlic from oil. Saute chicken 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Turn and saute another 3-4 minutes, or until brown and chicken is cooked through.

Tip:

B/c my pans tend to get and stay very hot, I allow the oil to heat up on med-high heat until the first side of chicken is a light brown, then I lower the temp to med, med-low so that the chicken can cook through, without burning the outside. This is especially helpful if the breasts are large. Just don't drop it too much because you want your oil to stay hot, so the breasts don't get soggy.

Enjoy!

"Four Cheese and a Tissue Please" Lasagna

2008-02-12T00:52:00.001-06:00

I don't have a pic because I haven't made this in a long time because the recipe was on an old computer, but I finally got it back! I actually saw it in a Seventeen magazine years ago in a V-day special and got it off their site, but it's not there anymore so I don't have a link for the original.

This is hands down the best lasagna I've ever had and I can't wait to actually make it again. It's pretty labor intensive, but it's worth it.

Notes:

This is a personal, homemade recipe (hence why I can't find it online anymore) from the girl's family, so there's a lot of seasoning to taste and also may not be written the best.
At the end, make sure you sprinkle Parmesan cheese as the very last, top ingredient. If you put it under the mozzarella you'll get a nasty, hard Parmesan crust. Trust me, it's not tasty.

Yield: ? Sry, idk, but it makes a lot.

Ingredients:

1 16-oz. package of lasagna noodles
1 large diced onion
1 hefty Tablespoon minced garlic
3 hefty Tablespoons brown sugar
6oz. tomato paste
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
Lots of sliced mushrooms
Dried oregano, Fresh Basil, s&p, (any herbs you like really) to taste
1 lb. minced meat (your choice: beef, sausage, etc...)
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
1 tub Ricotta cheese
1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese, to be sliced
3 cups heavy cream, or whipping cream

Directions:

Saute the minced garlic and onion until transparent. Add minced meat and cook through. Add canned tomatoes and tomato paste. Season with oregano, basil, s&p. Add brown sugar and stir well.cLet simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes and then add the mushrooms. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat heavy cream in a saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly. Once warm to the touch, add first cup of Parmesan cheese and stir until smooth. Add cup of of cheedar and stir until smooth. This mixture should be fairly thick.

Assembling the lasagna:

Spoon small amount of meat sauce in bottom of a large deep casserole dish ( FYI: will fill 9x13 Corningware dish to the brim).
Add 3 sheets of uncooked lasagna noodles.
Pour a layer of cheese sauce
Layer of meat sauce
Layer of noodles
Layer of ricotta cheese
Meat sauce
Lasagna
Mozzarella

Repeat steps until out of ingredients or dish is full. Lasagna noodles and cheese sauce should be last 2 layers.

Top with leftover grated cheddar cheese and Parmesan.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Removed and let stand for 1 hour.

Updates

2008-01-29T12:50:00.000-06:00

Mmmm...I could really go for a Mojito right now.

I've fixed the Apple Dumpling recipe, for some reason the copy & paste function went spastic and so the directions didn't show up, but they're there now!
I can't find the chord to upload my pictures from my camera, so a few of my posts are pic-less. : ( But I'm working on it and once I do I'll be sure to add the photos on here.

Savory Herb-Stuffed Mushrooms

2008-01-29T12:24:00.002-06:00

My very first experience with stuffed mushrooms made for a pretty tasty lunch today. I've been craving mushrooms for the past few days so I decided to look up a recipe, and since I can't resist cream cheese these caught my eye. The recipe is from Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee off the foodnetwork.com.

The original recipe is actually for appetizers, so instead of 24 medium mushrooms I used 2 Portobellos. The only difference it really made was there wasn't as much of the mushroom stems in the stuffing as the recipe called for. I think it would probably be better with the more mushrooms as the original calls for...so the smaller mushrooms would probably be the way to go. However, I'm going ahead and posting what I did rather than the original recipe.

Notes:

Next time I think I'll add some Mozzarella on top and allow it to melt in the oven
I could also go for some more cream cheese
I eyeballed and taste-tested everything so I may be way off the original
(from original) 24 medium mushrooms, about 1 pound
(from original) 1 cup herb-seasoned stuffing croutons

Yield: Original recipe: 24 appetizers With the Portobellos instead: 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 Portobello mushrooms
6 T reduced-fat stick margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 t garlic powder, or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 oz. low-fat cream cheese, softened
3 T grated Parmesan (I did equal parts of Parmesan and Parmiggiano Regianno)
2 T chopped fresh parsley leaves, or 2 t drie parsley flakes
1/3 cup herb-seasoned bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove stems from mushrooms. Chop enough stems to make 1 cup (I didn't have enough). Melt 2 T margarine in saucepan. Brush mushroom cap tops with margarine, place top side down in shallow baking pan and brush undersides of caps. Heat remaining margarine in same saucepan. Add chopped mushroom stems, onion and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in cream cheese, combining with fork if necessary. Add Parmesan cheese, parsley and breadcrumbs/stuffing croutons. Mix thoroughly. Spoon stuffing mixture into each mushroom cap. Bake until heated through.

Tip: To make ahead, prepare as directed but do not bake. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake as directed.

Yummy Honey Chicken Kabobs

2008-01-28T13:57:00.003-06:00

I first made these a few months ago when my friend Amber came to visit and they are delish! Extremely simple, but still extremely tasty. Would be great served on a bed of rice. Recipe is from allrecipes.com

So, you say you want you red bell peppers to still be crispy, but (obviously) want the chicken cooked through? Well then just follow this tip: Because each ingredient (veggies/chicken) cooks at different rates naturally, don't alternate ingredients on skewers, instead designate one kind of ingredient per skewer. Ex. skewers with only onions, skewers with only chicken, etc.

Notes:

I just use my George Foreman grill - it cooks up much faster than original recipe allows.
Of course you can use any veggies you like (I really wanna try it with mushrooms too. Yum!)

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 t ground black pepper
8 sk/bnless chicken breast halves - cut into 1" cubes
2 cloves garlic
5 small onions, cut into 2" pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 2" pieces
skewers

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto kabobs while cooking. Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours (or overnight.)

Preheat the grill for high heat.

Drain marinade from the chicken and vegetables, and discard marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables on skewers.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Place the skewers on the grill. Cook for 12-15 minutes (only about 3-5 minutes on G.F.) until chicken juices run clear. Brush with reserved marinade frequently.

Apple Dumplings

2008-01-24T18:15:00.000-06:00

So, I've been on a hiatus for a while because of school and everything, but I'm gonna try to get into a regular routine of blogging. This is all so new to me!

I made these for Scott and mine's little Christmas dinner for just the two of us and they were great! They were kinda like my mom's apple pie (which is delicious by the way) but I didn't have to buy a pie dish! I got the recipe from Taste of Home's Cooking for 2's website after discovering their little gem of a magazine in Border's. Sorry the pic isn't very good, I was just anxious to get started eating!

Notes:

I pretty much followed the recipe to a 'T' besides cutting it in half.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 t salt
1 cup shortening
1/3 cup cold water
8 medium tart apples, peeled and cored (I used Golden Delicious)
8 t butter
9 t cinnamon-sugar, divided

SAUCE:

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter, cubed

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide into 8 portions. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

Roll each portion of dough between two lightly floured sheets of waxed paper into a 7-in. square. Place an apple on each square. Place 1 teaspoon butter and 1 teaspoon cinnamon-sugar in the center of each apple.

Gently bring up corners of pastry to each center; pinch edges to seal. If desired, cut out apple leaves and stems from dough scraps; attach to dumplings with water. Place in a greased backing dish. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar.

In a large saucepan, combine sauce ingredients. Bring just to a boil, stirring until blended. Pour over apples.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until apples are tender and pastry is golden, brown, basting occasionally with sauce. Serve warm.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

2008-01-02T20:35:00.001-06:00

Gooey cream cheese goodness! These have consistently been a good hit w/ my family and friends. I originally got the recipe from my friend Nicole a long time ago, but the recipe is actually on the back of the Old El Paso Green Chile Enchilada Sauce can.

To illustrate how much I love these, since Scott is an uber-picky eater and won't eat anything green, I will actually go through the trouble of making 2 separate meals for the two of us when I want these. I'll make him some really simple meat burritos and make these for myself. They also make excellent leftovers so I usually eat on them for a few days and are always sad when they're gone. So enough babbling, here's the recipe!

Notes:

You can make the chicken however you prefer. I've boiled sk/bnless chicken breasts and chicken pieces (such as thighs we had on hand) and shredded the meat, but what I usually do is just cut the breasts into really small pieces and cook in a skillet b/c it's just easier and faster for me.
I usually fill my enchiladas up pretty good so all mine will fit in a 8x8 or 9x9. So the amount of enchilada sauce you need to use depends upon the size of the pan. 1 can (even less actually) is enough for that small of a dish, but if you use a 9x13 you need the two.
I like Old El Paso chopped green chiles much better than generic brands.
I use the four cheese Mexican blend of shredded cheese instead of just cheddar.

Yield: 12 enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 lb. uncooked chicken breast strips
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 can (4.5 oz.) chopped green chiles
1 package (10.5 oz.) flour tortillas (6 in.)
2 cans (10 oz. each) Old El Paso green chile enchilada sauce
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (3 oz)

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease 13x9 (or any other size) baking dish.

In nonstick skillet, cook chicken over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center. Add cream cheese and chiles; reduce heat to medium. cook and stir until blended and cream cheese is melted.

Spoon chicken filling onto tortillas; roll up and place seam sides down in baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over top; sprinkled with cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes until hot and cheese is melted.

Ultimate Spaghetti & Meatballs

2007-12-29T17:39:00.000-06:00

I made these when my friend Trenton came over and they were a hit! They took a lot longer than I expected, probably because I tend to be super careful and picky when I first try out a recipe, but they were worth it. I got the recipe from an episode of Tyler's Ultimate. I made the Pomodoro Sauce he includes but didn't really care for it as much, so I'm not going to take the time to write out the recipe on here. But if you want it it's on the link. They also made good leftovers, but again would have been much better with a different sauce IMHO.

Notes:

Again, didn't really like his Pomodoro Sauce.
Don't know if this is right, but for the firm white bread I just let some Texas size bread that I had in the pantry sit out for about 30 minutes to get firm before soaking in the milk.
I used a more authentic fresh mozzarella cheese that I found at Reasor's. It was nice and soft instead of hard like the usual packaged kind. I sliced it and put about one slice on each meatball.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 Tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 cup milk
4 thick slices firm white bread, crust removed
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 1/2 lbs. ground pork
1 large egg
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups heated Pomodoro Sauce, or good quality jarred tomato sauce
1/2 lb. mozzarella cheese, cut into chunks
Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh basil
1 lb. spaghetti

Directions:

Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti. Heat 3 T oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and parsley and cook until the vegetables are soft but still translucent, about 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let cool.

Pour enough milk over the bread in a bowl to moisten and let it soak while the onions are cooling. Combine the meats in a large bowl. Add the egg and Parmigiano and season generously with salt and pepper. Use your hands to squeeze the excess milk out of the bread and add that to the bowl along with the cooled onion mixture. (Hand onto the pan - you'll need it to cook the meatballs.) Gently combine all the ingredients with your hands or with a spoon until just mixed together. Don't overwork or the meatballs will be tough. Divide into 10 equal pieces and shape them into 10 nice looking meatballs.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat a 3-count of oil in the frying pan over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides, about 10 minutes. Put them into a baking dish and spoon about half of hte tomato sauce over. Shower with the mozzarella and drizzle with the olive oil. Put the meatballs in the oven and bake until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and put it onto a large serving platter. Pour on the rest of the sauce and mix well. Spoon the meatballs on top of the spaghetti and garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately along with extra cheese.

Golden Applesauce

2007-12-29T17:26:00.000-06:00

No pic for this one. : (

I love apple desserts. So because this is so easy, I enjoy making it to eat on it for a few days as a dessert for lunch. It's really easy and very tasty. I got it from an episode of Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals.

Notes:

I haven't been able to find the golden raisins and it tastes fine without.
I also smash the sauce right at the end with a spoon just to make it more like a puree than a chunky sauce.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

4 golden delicious apples, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 oz. golden raisins, a handful (I haven't been able to find any and it is still tasty w/o)
1 inch piece fresh ginger root
3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
2 cups all natural apple juice or cider
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a medium pot placed over medium high heat and cook until chunky sauce forms, 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. If sauce begins to spatter as it bubbles, reduce heat back a little, but it shoul be allowed to reduce and form quickly. Once apples are soft and sauce forms, remove it from the heat.

Chicken Fried Steak and Gravy

2007-12-29T16:43:00.000-06:00

I got this recipe from Paula Deen. I've made it twice now, the second time was better than the first, but they're still not exactly how I would like them. I just haven't been able to get that nice crispy texture yet, but if I can I'll be sure to repost to let you know!

Notes:

I used 3 tenderized round steaks (picture in package below)
I did not follow the parts of the recipe that are in orange. I did them the first time, but didn't like the results so the second time I didn't do them at all and preferred it. I decided to include them anyway so you can decide!
House Seasoning: 1 cup salt, 1/4 cup black pepper, 1/4 cup garlic powder. Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups, plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 (4 oz) tenderized beef round steaks (have butcher run them through cubing machine)
1 teaspoon House Seasoning (recipe under notes)
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
2 cups buttermilk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 quart whole milk
1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (recommended: Ac'cent), optional (I didn't use and my gravy has turned out fine)
1 bunch gren onions, or 1 medium yellow onion, sliced

Directions:

Combine 1 1/2 cups of flour and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1 side of the meat w/ House Seasoning and the other side with seasoning salt, and then dredge the meat in buttermilk and then flour.

Heat 1/2 cup oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 or 4 of the steaks to the hot oil and fry until browned, about 5-6 minutes per side. Remove each steak to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining steaks, adding up to 1/4 cup more oil, as needed.

Make the gravy by adding the 2 Tablespoons remaining flour to the pan dripping, scraping hte bottom with a wooden sppon. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper and the salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently until the flour is medium brown and the mixture is bubbly. Slowly add the whole milk and the Ac'cent, if using, stirring constantly. Return the steaks to the skillet and bring to a boil over medium - high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and place the onions on top of the steaks. Cover the pan, and let sinner for 30 minutes.

Mascarpone Cupcakes with Strawberry Glaze

2007-12-29T16:11:00.001-06:00

I made these cupcakes off a recommendation from Little Ms. Foodie and I have to say that they are the absolutely best cupcakes I have ever tasted. They are so moist they are sure to melt in your mouth. The recipe I'm using is from LMF's blog (linked above.) The original is from Giada De Laurentiis.

Notes:

I made regular size instead of mini.
Next time I will follow the package instructions for 3 egg whites instead of just 2 from the recipe because mine turned out rather crumbly and hard to handle. I want them to melt in my mouth and not in my hand!
Mascarpone cheese is an Italian cheese. I found mine in Reasor's grocery store in the section near the deli with all the specialty cheeses. It was in an 8 oz. shallow tub (kind of like Philadelphia cream cheese in a tub.)
For the glaze, I used probably an extra 1/4 cup of strawberries. I didn't like the glaze at first (too sweet), but once it firmed up like the recipe says it was much better and had a great strawberry flavor.
For a thicker glaze: Use more powdered sugar and less strawberries for a thicker glaze.
For thinner glaze: Use less powdered sugar and more strawberries for a thinner glaze.

Yield: About 18 or 20 large; 48 mini cupcakes

Ingredients:

8 oz. mascarpone cheese (about 1 cup), softened
2 egg whites (I would follow package instructions)
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
1 box white cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
1 cup water
1/3 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins w/ paper liners.

In a large bowl combine the mascarpone cheese, egg whites and vegetable oil. Using mixer beat the ingredients until creamy. Add the cake mix (1/3 of the mix at a time) and water and blend until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Fill the cupcake tins to just below the rim and bake until puffy and golden, about 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly in the tin then transfer the cupcakes to wire rack.

Meanwhile, puree strawberries in a blender or food processor. Place the powdered sugar in medium bowl. Pour in the strawberry puree and whisk until smooth. After cupcakes have cooled slightly, top the cooked cupcakes witht the glaze. Let the cupcakes sit for a few minutes for the glaze to firm up before serving.